Military reports 351 more COVID-19 cases

South Korea's military on Thursday reported 351 additional COVID-19 cases, raising the total caseload among its domestic personnel to 7,508. The new cases included 183 from the Army, 93 from the Air Force, 29 from the Navy, 26 from units under the direct control of the defense ministry, 17 from the Marine Corps, two from the Joint Chiefs of Staff and one from the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command. Currently, 2,850 military personnel are under treatment. Meanwhile, two more sailors of the

Feb. 10, 2022

Military to expand missile command amid NK missile threats

South Korea's military is seeking to rename and strengthen the Army's missile unit to better cope with North Korea's evolving missile threats, its officials said Thursday. The defense ministry made a public notice on its push for legislation to rename the current Army Missile Command to the Army Missile Strategic Command and expand its headquarters and subordinate units. Under the envisioned reorganization set for April, its commander's rank will be elevated to lieutenant general from the curren

Feb. 10, 2022

USFK reveals last year's special ops training amid tensions caused by NK missile tests

The US Forces Korea (USFK) has revealed it conducted a special commando training late last year, in an apparent move to highlight America's military might following a recent series of North Korean missile launches. In a Facebook post Monday, the US military's Special Operations Command Korea (SOCKOR) showed a set of photos depicting commandos training in what seem to be coastal and mountainous areas. "SOCKOR seized opportunities for cold weather, maritime and ground domain readiness trainin

Feb. 9, 2022

Military advises incoming recruits to cast early ballots

South Korea's military recruitment agency on Wednesday advised incoming draftees to cast their ballots during an early voting period for the March 9 presidential election. The Military Manpower Administration (MMA) said that some 20,000 men are set to begin mandatory service before the Election Day, and they can go to polling stations when early voting takes place on March 4-5. By law, citizens can only cast their votes at their legal residential districts on the Election Day. When outside their

Feb. 9, 2022

USFK chief LaCamera visits air base with precision bombs

US Forces Korea (USFK) chief Gen. Paul LaCamera visited an American air unit equipped with high-end guided bombs last week to ensure "fight-tonight" readiness, his office said Tuesday, amid tensions caused by recent North Korean missile launches. In a Facebook post, the USFK showed a series of photos depicting him looking at a set of formidable weapons systems, like the Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs), during his visit to the 8th Fighter Wing at Kunsan Air Base in the western ci

Feb. 8, 2022

Military reports 466 more COVID-19 cases

South Korea's military on Tuesday reported 466 additional COVID-19 cases, raising the total caseload among its domestic personnel to 6,742. The new cases included 271 from the Army, 148 from the Air Force, 26 from the Marine Corps, 12 from the Navy, eight from units under the direct control of the defense ministry and one from the ministry. Currently, 2,252 military personnel are under treatment. Meanwhile, the military reported no additional virus cases from the Navy's 304-strong Cheonghae u

Feb. 8, 2022

'Robot chefs' unveiled at boot camp to cut troops' workloads, improve meals

South Korea's military unveiled its novel lineup of "robot chefs" at a boot camp on Monday in an effort to lessen Army cooks' workloads and meet growing calls to improve everyday troop meals. The kitchen has become the latest frontier for the military's tech-based operational strategy, as it seeks to enhance efficiency and safety in its personnel management amid concerns about possible troop shortages caused by the country's chronically low birthrate. Since November, the Army's 28th

Feb. 7, 2022

S. Korea, US not mulling additional THAAD deployment: defense ministry

South Korea and the United States are not considering the deployment of an additional THAAD anti-missile system here, Seoul's defense ministry said Monday amid a heated debate on the issue rekindled ahead of the March 9 presidential election. Boo Seung-chan, the ministry spokesperson, made the remarks, following a media report that a government-commissioned research in 2015 noted the need for South Korea's military to acquire its own THAAD battery separately from the one currently run by the US

Feb. 7, 2022

Military to tighten antivirus measures at boot camps amid omicron surge

South Korea's military plans to bolster antivirus measures at boot camps amid a growing number of COVID-19 infections among service members, the defense ministry said Friday. The military reported 298 additional COVID-19 cases Friday, more than doubling from the previous day, raising the total caseload among its domestic personnel to 5,490. Defense Minister Suh Wook held a video-linked meeting with top military commanders and adopted a set of new measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 driven

Feb. 4, 2022

USFK calls THAAD 'safe, reliable' system amid renewed political debate

The US Forces Korea (USFK) said Friday its THAAD anti-missile system installed in South Korea is a "safe and reliable" asset, as a political debate has been rekindled here over the ideologically sensitive matter in the run-up to the March 9 presidential election. The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system has emerged as a hot-button issue during the election season, as Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate of the conservative main opposition People Power Party, pledged

Feb. 4, 2022

Army units get new 120-mm self-propelled mortar system

South Korea's Army has received the first batch of new homegrown 120-mm self-propelled mortar systems to replace existing decades-old mortars, the state arms procurement agency said Friday. The latest systems will supplant the Army's aging 4.2-inch mortars that have been in service for more than 40 years, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). Under a deployment project that runs through 2025, the Army will get the new mortars mounted on armored carriers, along wit

Feb. 4, 2022

Military reports 298 more COVID-19 cases

South Korea's military on Friday reported 298 additional COVID-19 cases, more than doubling from the previous day, raising the total caseload among its domestic personnel to 5,490. The new cases included 195 from the Army, 43 from the Air Force, 19 from units under the direct control of the defense ministry, 15 from the Navy, and 12 from the Marine Corps. There were also four cases from the ministry and 10 additional patients from the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command. Currently, 1,394 m

Feb. 4, 2022

Military reports 136 more COVID-19 cases

South Korea's military on Thursday reported 136 additional COVID-19 cases, raising the total caseload among its domestic personnel to 5,192. The new cases included 70 from the Army, 24 from the Air Force, 20 from the Navy, eight from the Marine Corps, 11 from units under the direct control of the defense ministry and three from the ministry. Currently, 1,175 military personnel are under treatment. Meanwhile, two more sailors of the Navy's 304-strong Cheonghae unit operating in waters off Afri

Feb. 3, 2022

Military reports 144 more COVID-19 cases

South Korea's military on Wednesday reported 144 additional COVID-19 cases, raising the total caseload among its domestic personnel to 5,056. The new cases included 90 from the Army, 23 from the Air Force, 11 from the Navy, 11 from the Marine Corps, one Joint Chiefs of Staff member and one from the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command. There were also four cases from units under the direct control of the defense ministry and three from the ministry. Currently, 1,406 military personnel are u

Feb. 2, 2022

Actor Park Bo-gum passes barber license exam during military service

Actor Park Bo-gum, currently serving in South Korea's Navy, has passed a state exam to become a licensed barber, military officials said Wednesday. Park, who has been fulfilling his mandatory military service since 2020, took the exam last month, the officials said. He is currently stationed in the Gyeryongdae military headquarters, 160 kilometers south of Seoul. Park is set to complete his military service in April. All able-bodied South Korean men must carry out compulsory service for about

Feb. 2, 2022

Seoul faces conundrum over option of North Korea preemptive strike

If South Korea faces an imminent attack from nuclear-armed North Korea, what is the most viable military option to defend the country and prevent incalculable and irreparable damage? Seoul-based experts say South Korea would have no option but to consider launching a preemptive strike, although the anticipatory use of force would come with a certain price. That price could far outweigh potential gains, experts say. But the bigger problem is Pyongyang‘s mounting artillery, missile and nuc

Jan. 26, 2022

S. Korea's AI defense technologies catching up with US equivalents: report

South Korea's artificial intelligence (AI) defense technologies for speech, image and voice recognition are assessed to be about a year behind those of the United States, a state research institute said Wednesday. The Korea Research Institute for Defense Technology Planning and Advancement (KRIT) made the assessment as it unveiled a broad road map for the use of AI technologies in the defense sector. South Korea's AI-based defense technologies for the three high-tech areas have reached about 9

Jan. 26, 2022

[Newsmaker] N.Korea appears to fire two cruise missiles from inland area: S.Korean military

North Korea fired two suspected cruise missiles from an inland area Tuesday morning, its fifth weapons test this year. “North Korea is presumed to launch two cruise missiles this morning,” a South Korean military official told reporters on condition of anonymity. “The missiles are estimated to have traveled mostly inland although further analysis is needed,” the military official said, adding the missiles were not fired toward the East Sea. 　 The military official sa

Jan. 25, 2022

Military reports 66 more COVID-19 cases

South Korea's military on Friday reported 66 additional COVID-19 cases, including 53 breakthrough infections, raising the total caseload among its personnel to 3,828. Of the new cases, 57 are from the Army, five from the Air Force, one from the Navy and three from units under the direct control of the defense ministry. The Army infection count included 17 service members and trainees at a boot camp in Nonsan, 213 kilometers south of Seoul, according to an informed source. Currently, 345 mili

Jan. 21, 2022

Military to ship COVID-19 treatment pills to overseas units

South Korea's military is set to ship COVID-19 treatment pills to three overseas units Friday following virus outbreaks there, officials here said. Pfizer's Paxlovid antiviral pills will be sent by air to the contingents in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), South Sudan and Lebanon under Thursday's distribution approval by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), the officials said. The military also plans to send the pills to the Navy's anti-piracy Cheonghae unit operating in wate

Jan. 21, 2022