New defense chief to travel to US to resolve disputes

South Korea’s Defense Minister Suh Wook will attend an annual security meeting with the US in mid-October, military sources confirmed Wednesday. He is expected to facilitate the stalled defense cost-sharing negotiations and review the plan for Seoul to take over wartime operational control from Washington. Despite a year of negotiations, Korea and the US have yet to conclude an agreement for the upkeep of US troops here, largely because they have failed to work out differences over Washin

Sept. 23, 2020

USFK relaxes quarantine rules

United States Forces Korea said Wednesday it had decided to downgrade by a notch the peninsula-wide health emergency declaration to Bravo, the second level of the four stages of guidelines, citing “favorable” coronavirus conditions here. The change is effective nationwide from 4 p.m. Thursday, except for some areas in the Greater Seoul area, including Incheon and Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. Travel to the Greater Seoul area still remains off-limits for personnel except for official d

Sept. 23, 2020

Defense ministry to maintain restrictions on troop vacation over virus pandemic

The defense ministry decided to keep restrictions on leave for soldiers in place for another week in an effort to stem the spread of the new coronavirus, officials said Monday. Last month, the ministry imposed the ban on vacation and restricted their off-installation movement, as the country saw a surge in COVID-19 infections. But it eased rules earlier this month to allow vacation for new recruits and those who have not traveled off base for a long time. "We will maintain the Level 2 so

Sept. 21, 2020

‘No discussion of US troop withdrawal at State Dept.’

There is no discussion at the US State Department of withdrawing troops from South Korea, US Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Stilwell said Thursday. He made the remarks during a US Senate hearing after US Sen. Chris Coons asked whether the State Department could confirm that it was no longer considering pulling US troops out of South Korea -- a plan that was reportedly weighed by the Trump administration. Coons also asked Stilwell if he could assure the Senate tha

Sept. 18, 2020

New defense chief vows efforts for firm readiness posture for peace, OPCON transfer

New defense chief vows efforts for firm readiness posture for peace, OPCON transfer New Defense Minister Suh Wook was sworn in Friday, vowing to maintain a staunch readiness posture and fully implement an inter-Korean military tension reduction agreement in order to buttress the government's efforts for a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. In his inauguration speech, Suh also vowed to strive for expediting the envisioned transfer of the wartime operational control (OPCON) of South Korean

Sept. 18, 2020

US not discussing troop withdrawal from S. Korea: US diplomat

WASHINGTON -- The United States is not currently discussing the possibility of withdrawing troops from South Korea, a senior US diplomat said Thursday, a move he said would require consultation with the Asian ally. "Of course, these issues all require cooperation. So we will consult (with South Korea), but there is no discussion of that in the State Department," David Stilwell, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committe

Sept. 18, 2020

S. Korea, US discussing how to hold annual defense chiefs' talks: Seoul ministry

South Korea and the United States are discussing when and how to hold their defense ministers' annual meeting amid the coronavirus pandemic, the defense ministry said Thursday. This year's annual ministerial defense talks between Seoul and Washington, named the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM), are supposed to take place around October in Washington. "Consultations are under way to arrange the talks in consideration of the COVID-19 situation and other factors," Deputy Spokespers

Sept. 17, 2020

US forces honor South Korea's outgoing top military officer

The US Forces Korea (USFK) held an honor guard ceremony Thursday to mark the planned departure of South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Park Han-ki. Park is scheduled to retire as JSC chairman next week after serving in the post since October 2018. No official term of office is set, but the JCS chairman is supposed to serve for around 18 months to two years. The ceremony took place at the US military garrison in Yongsan, Seoul, hosted by USFK commander Gen. Robert Abrams. "H

Sept. 17, 2020

N. Korea continues missile development: defense minister nominee

North Korea is continuing to develop its missile capabilities, defense minister nominee Gen. Suh Wook said Wednesday, vowing to sternly respond to any provocations.  Suh made the remark in an opening speech during a confirmation hearing at the National Assembly amid speculation that the North could showcase a new strategic weapon at the 75th founding anniversary of its ruling party on Oct. 10.  "North Korea is focusing on preparations for the 75th party founding anniversary e

Sept. 16, 2020

S. Korea mulls developing indigenous engine for K-9 howitzer

South Korea is considering developing an indigenous engine for its K-9 self-propelled howitzer, officials said Tuesday, as the country pushes to expand the local development of weapons parts. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy were to sign a memorandum of understanding later in the day for cooperation in developing local weapons parts, according to the arms procurement agency. Under the deal, the agency will seek to develop weapons pa

Sept. 15, 2020

S. Korea to invest 2.7b won to develop drones for military use

South Korea plans to invest 2.7 trillion won ($2.3 billion) in the next 10 years to develop drones for military use, the arms procurement agency said Tuesday. Under the plan, the country will develop various drones to carry out missions ranging from surveillance to firing grenades and rifles, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration. Combat experiments are under way with a rifle and grenade launchers attached at the bottom of drones, it said. The agency will complete secur

Sept. 15, 2020

Any use of US military force in Korea impossible without Seoul's consent, Cheong Wa Dae says

Cheong Wa Dae said Monday it is impossible for the United States to use any military force on the Korean Peninsula without South Korea's consent. It was responding to a description in a forthcoming book authored by Bob Woodward, a Washington Post journalist, that the United States had carefully reviewed using nuclear weapons against North Korea in response to its military provocations in 2017. "What we can say clearly is that the use of a nuclear weapon is not (included) in our operation

Sept. 14, 2020

[Newsmaker] Public consensus needed to exempt BTS from draft: defense minister nominee

Defense Minister nominee Suh Wook said Monday that the ministry should consult with the public before deciding whether to grant the members of K-pop group BTS exemptions from mandatory military service. “The service should be carried out by all able-bodied men in an equitable manner,” the sitting Army chief said in a written opinion submitted to the parliamentary defense committee set to open a hearing Wednesday on his credentials as defense chief. All able-bodied men must serve

Sept. 14, 2020

NK unlikely to test submarine missile to mark anniversary: defense minister nominee

South Korea’s nominee for defense minister, Gen. Suh Wook said Monday that North Korea is unlikely to test a submarine-launched ballistic missile around Oct. 10, given the short preparation time between now and then, when it celebrates the anniversary of the foundation of its ruling party. “No activity involving an imminent SLBM launch is seen,” the sitting Army chief said in a written answer submitted to the parliamentary defense committee set to open a hearing Wednesday to l

Sept. 14, 2020

Defense ministry eases restrictions on troop vacation after govt. lowers social distancing

The defense ministry has eased restrictions on vacationing by soldiers following the government's relaxation of the social distancing scheme, officials said Monday. Last month, the ministry banned soldiers from going on vacations and restricted their off-installation movement, as the country began to see a surge in COVID-19 infections. "Vacations will be allowed for new recruits and those who have not traveled off-base for a long time based on the decision by their leadership," Depu

Sept. 14, 2020

Navy joins US-led four-nation maritime exercise in Pacific

The South Korean Navy has joined a US-led multinational maritime exercise in the Pacific, military officials said Saturday. According to the officials, the navies of South Korea, the United States, Japan and Australia are engaged in the three-day joint maritime exercise, Pacific Vanguard, in waters near Guam, scheduled to continue through Sunday. The South Korean Navy has dispatched the 7,600-ton Aegis destroyer Seoae Ryu Sung-ryong and the 4,400-ton Chungmugong Yi Sun-shin to the exercise.

Sept. 12, 2020

Full scale S. Korea-US drills not near: US Army chief

US Army chief Gen. James McConville said Tuesday he does not see South Korea and the United States returning soon to their full-scale joint military exercises, amid the coronavirus pandemic. “We think those (larger exercises) are very, very important. But COVID-19 introduced a kind of a new fog and friction. That just makes these exercises a little more difficult,” McConville told a teleconference hosted by Defense News. South Korea and the US scaled down their annual drills in Aug

Sept. 9, 2020

Seoul, Washington to hold biannual defense talks this week

South Korea and the US will hold biannual defense talks this week, discussing regional security and bilateral issues, including the planned transfer of wartime operational control from Washington to Seoul, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday. 　 The 18th Korea-US Integrated Defense Dialogue is set to take place Wednesday and Friday via videoconference due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Deputy Defense Minister Chung Suk-hwan and David Helvey, US assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific affairs

Sept. 9, 2020

S. Korea to begin production of 120-mm self-propelled mortar system

South Korea has decided to mass-produce a newly developed 120-millimeter self-propelled mortar system later this year, the arms procurement agency said Wednesday. The government held a defense project promotion committee meeting and decided to sign a 770 billion-won ($648 million) contract in the fourth quarter to produce the mortar system for deployment next year, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration said. The new weapon, which was developed with indigenous technologies last year,

Sept. 9, 2020

Military trauma center to open early to treat COVID-19

The South Korean military said Monday it was opening its trauma center early on Wednesday to help with coronavirus care amid a surge in the number of critically ill COVID-19 patients here. The center was to open in January next year. Sixty-eight health workers, including 5 military doctors and 10 military nurses, will be dispatched. It has prepared 40 beds specifically for COVID-19 patients. A group of military health workers were sent a week earlier to the military Capital Hospital to treat

Sept. 7, 2020