USFK to administer J&J COVID-19 vaccine in addition to Moderna

The US Forces Korea (USFK) said Wednesday that it has received the first shipment of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine to administer to its members in addition to Moderna's, a move expected to speed up its inoculation program. In December, the USFK began its vaccination campaign with the Moderna vaccine in line with its government's guidance, with the first group of recipients including health care workers, first responders and mission critical service members. The United St

March 10, 2021

SMA deal reflects S. Korea, US desire to focus on issues like NK: Knapper

South Korea and the United States' recent agreement on a new defense cost-sharing deal reflects the two countries' commitment to strengthening their alliance and a desire to focus on issues like North Korea, a US diplomat said Wednesday. Marc Knapper, deputy assistant secretary of state for Korea and Japan, made the remark in a webinar days after Seoul and Washington reached a six-year deal, called the Special Measures Agreement (SMA), on how to share the cost for stationing the 28,500-strong U

March 10, 2021

S. Korea, US supposed to stage joint outdoor drills throughout year: defense ministry

South Korea and the United States are supposed to stage combined outdoor military drills throughout the year, not during specific periods of time, Seoul's defense ministry said Tuesday. Ministry spokesperson Boo Seung-chan made the remarks in an answer to a reporter's question about when and how the two sides would stage joint real maneuvers this year as their ongoing springtime exercise does not include such outdoor programs. "After the summit between the US and North Korea in Singapore

March 9, 2021

S. Korea calls on NK to take 'wise, flexible' approach toward military exercise with US

The unification ministry urged North Korea to take a "wise and flexible" approach toward a springtime combined military exercise that South Korea and the United States kicked off in a scaled-back manner Monday. North Korea has long demanded an end to the joint military drills between the two allies, denouncing them as a rehearsal for invasion. During a rare party congress in January, leader Kim Jong-un repeated such calls, citing it as a crucial matter to improve inter-Korean ties.

March 8, 2021

Military reports 3 additional virus cases, total exceeds 600

Two Army soldiers and a Marine have tested positive for the new coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections reported among the military population to 601, the defense ministry said Monday. The full-time reserve Marine in Ganghwa, west of Seoul, was found to have contracted COVID-19 after a family member was confirmed infected, according to the ministry. An Army enlistee in the northeastern county of Hwacheon tested positive after a vacation, while an officer in Yangpyeong, some 55 ki

March 8, 2021

S. Korea, US kick off scaled-back combined exercise

South Korea and the United States on Monday kicked off a springtime combined military exercise in a scaled-back manner amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. The computer-simulated Combined Command Post Training (CCPT), set to continue until March 18, involves a "minimum level of troops" compared with previous ones given the coronavirus situation, and no outdoor drills will take place, according to the military. "The training is to maintain our joint r

March 8, 2021

S. Korea, US reach defense cost-sharing agreement: Seoul

WASHINGTON -- South Korea and the United States have reached an agreement on Seoul's share of the burden in maintaining US troops on the Korean Peninsula, Seoul's foreign ministry said Sunday. The agreement came in their latest negotiations held in Washington. "In the first in-person meeting to be held in almost a year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, negotiators from South Korea and the United States held talks on the 11th South Korea-US Special Measures Agreement (SMA) based on their discuss

March 8, 2021

Seoul, Washington to conduct scaled-down simulation-only military exercise this week

South Korea and the United States will stage their annual springtime military exercise this week, but it will be reduced in scope due to the coronavirus pandemic.   　 The allies decided to hold the computer-simulated Combined Command Post Training for nine days starting Monday and ending March 18, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Sunday, after “comprehensively” taking into consideration the “COVID-19 situation, the maintenance of the combat readiness posture, the denucle

March 7, 2021

Military budget cuts around the globe set to strain S. Korea's defense exports: report

South Korea's exports of defense products are expected to suffer a setback as governments around the globe have been cutting military budgets amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a report showed Sunday. The global defense budget is anticipated to decrease 2.2 percent annually through 2024, according to the report by the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade (KIET). The annual overseas military projects won by South Korean businesses have remained flat, hovering around $3 billion from 2016

March 7, 2021

S. Korea, US to kick off scaled-back combined exercise next week: ministry

South Korea and the United States will stage a major springtime combined military exercise starting this week in a scaled-back manner amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Sunday. Whether to hold the regular exercise has drawn attention as the unification ministry and some civic groups have called for its adjustment to help move forward the stalled inter-Korean ties. North Korea has long demanded a halt to such joint maneuvers. "South Korea and the US decided to

March 7, 2021

Military offers condolences after death of discharged transgender soldier

The Ministry of National Defense offered condolences Thursday over the death of the country’s first transgender soldier, who was challenging the Army’s decision to discharge her over sex reassignment surgery. Byun Hee-soo, 23, was found dead at her home in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, the previous day. A local mental health clinic Byun frequented notified paramedics who found her with no will left behind. Byun, who tried to take her life before, had been unreachable since S

March 4, 2021

S. Korea, US to scale back combined exercise set to kick off

South Korea and the United States will launch a major combined exercise next week in a scaled-back manner due to concerns over the new coronavirus, sources said Thursday. The joint computer-simulated command post training is expected to kick off next week, but Seoul and Washington have yet to announce how they will stage the annual exercise. The South has sought, unsuccessfully, to include a Full Operational Capability (FOC) test in the upcoming exercise -- a crucial step necessary for the cou

March 4, 2021

4 service members, 1 military civilian employee test positive for virus

Two Marines, two Army soldiers and a civilian employee working for the military have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Thursday. The Marine officers were confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 before newly joining a unit in the western city of Gimpo, according to the ministry. The Army soldiers in Yangpyeong, 55 kilometers east of Seoul, and Hongcheon, 100 km east of the capital, respectively, tested positive after a vacation in Seoul. In Jinhae, some 400 kilom

March 4, 2021

S. Korea, US closely monitoring NK nuclear facilities: defense ministry

South Korea and the United States are closely following movements at North Korea's nuclear facilities, the defense ministry said Thursday, amid a report of new structures at one of the sites. On Tuesday, CNN reported that the North may have taken steps to hide a facility at the Yongdoktong site that the US believes is used to store nuclear weapons, citing recent satellite images that show new structures. "The intelligence authorities of South Korea and the US are closely monitoring activi

March 4, 2021

Two-star Army general relieved of command over NK man's border crossing

The defense ministry said Thursday it has stripped a two-star Army general of his command to hold him accountable for a security failure in connection with a recent border crossing by a North Korean man. The 22nd Infantry Division guarding the east coast border with the North garnered criticism following revelations that soldiers initially failed to notice the North Korean man even though he was repeatedly caught on surveillance cameras after coming ashore by swimming across the sea border las

March 4, 2021

2 USFK service members, Korean contractor test positive for virus

Two American service members and a South Korean national working for the US Forces Korea (USFK) have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the US military said Thursday. A soldier at Camp Casey in the northern city of Dongducheon was confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 on Wednesday after developing symptoms, according to USFK. Dongducheon, 40 kilometers north of Seoul, is where more than 100 infections have been reported among some 4,000 foreigners living in the city. Following a spike

March 4, 2021

Chief negotiator eyes agreement in defense cost talks with US this week

South Korea's chief negotiator in defense cost-sharing talks with the United States pledged best efforts Thursday to conclude negotiations on all major points this week, as he departed for Washington for a new round of talks. Jeong Eun-bo and his US counterpart, Donna Welton, are set to meet in the US capital Friday for their first face-to-face talks on the sharing of the cost for stationing the 28,500 US Forces Korea since the administration of President Joe Biden took office in January. &quo

March 4, 2021

Military health care workers get first vaccine shots 　

South Korea’s military started their COVID vaccine rollout Wednesday as health care workers at major military hospitals -- about 2,400 doctors, nurses and technicians -- lined up to receive AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccines. The vaccination was the first for the military, though some Korean soldiers working for the US military stationed here received inoculations two months ago. More medical personnel working at bases nationwide will get the shots in stages, the military said. But the servi

March 3, 2021

S. Korea, US to hold defense cost-sharing talks in Washington this week

South Korea and the United States will hold a new round of talks in Washington later this week on the sharing of the cost for stationing the US Forces Korea (USFK), the foreign ministry said Wednesday, amid expectations the two sides are close to a deal. Seoul's top negotiator, Jeong Eun-bo, and his US counterpart, Donna Welton, will meet in the US capital Friday, the ministry said, amid speculation that the two sides are nearing a multiyear deal for the upkeep of 28,500 American troops in Kore

March 3, 2021

Military begins administering COVID-19 vaccine to its members

The defense ministry on Wednesday began administering coronavirus vaccines to military personnel, with doctors and other health care workers becoming the first recipient group, officials said. The medical staff at the Korean Armed Forces Yangju Hospital in the city of Yangju, some 50 kilometers north of Seoul, received COVID-19 vaccine shots under the first round of the inoculation campaign in the military. They are among around 2,400 health care workers at 16 military hospitals across the nat

March 3, 2021