S. Korea conducts Dokdo defense exercise

The South Korean military conducted an exercise on Friday to strengthen defense capabilities for the country's easternmost islets of Dokdo, the first such drills in four months, a source said, amid budding efforts to restore ties with Japan strained over trade and wartime history.The Korean Navy did not make the exercise public in an apparent move to avoid further aggravating tensions with Japan, which has persistently laid claim to the rocky islets in the East Sea. "The Navy carried out th

Dec. 27, 2019

US flies surveillance aircraft over peninsula amid concerns over NK provocations

A US maritime patrol plane has made a late-night flight over the Korean Peninsula, an aviation tracker said Friday, amid concerns that North Korea could launch provocations in protest over stalled nuclear talks with the United States.According to Aircraft Spots, a P-3C plane of the US Navy flew over the peninsula at around 11 p.m. on Thursday, the latest in the US military's recent series of surveillance flyovers. The aircraft appears to have been mobilized to check for any signs of the North pr

Dec. 27, 2019

US flies spy planes again over Korean Peninsula amid concerns over NK provocations

The United States has flown spy planes around the Korean Peninsula again, an aviation tracker said Thursday, at a time of speculation that North Korea could carry out a major provocation amid stalled denuclearization talks.According to Aircraft Spots, a RC-135S Cobra Ball plane was presumed to have carried out a surveillance mission over South Korea's East Sea after taking off from the Japanese territory of Okinawa. Another RC-135S aircraft was spotted flying in the same route later.  On th

Dec. 26, 2019

US flies 4 spy planes at same time amid concern about NK 'Christmas gift'

The United States has flown four surveillance planes over the Korean Peninsula at the same time, according to an aviation tracker Wednesday, amid heightened concern that North Korea could test-fire a long-range missile as a "Christmas gift" to Washington.According to Aircraft Spots, the four aircraft -- RC-135W Rivet Joint, E-8C, RQ-4 Global Hawk and RC-135S Cobra Ball -- were believed to have carried out missions over and around the Korean Peninsula between Tuesday and early Wednesday

Dec. 25, 2019

US denies ‘decapitation strike’ drill

The US Department of Defense on Monday dismissed local reports that a recent US-South Korea joint military exercise was a rehearsal for a “decapitation strike” against key North Korean figures. The reports said the combat exercise, which took place in Gunsan, South Jeolla Province, from August to November this year, simulated a surgical strike to take down Pyongyang's key commanders in an apparent warning, citing photographs and videos posted on the department’s website on Dec

Dec. 24, 2019

US surveillance planes fly over S. Korea again

The United States flew two surveillance aircraft over the Korean Peninsula on Tuesday amid growing concerns that North Korea could test a long-range missile as a “Christmas gift.”The US Air Force RC-135W Rivet Joint was spotted above the peninsula every day since last weekend, according to aviation tracker Aircraft Spots.The RC-135W flew at an altitude of 9.4 kilometers. The aircraft is fitted with equipment that can detect signals before a missile is launched, and analyze its ballis

Dec. 24, 2019

S. Korea brings in first US spy aircraft

South Korea has brought in a US-made advanced spy drone that will improve its surveillance of North Korean military activities, the military said Monday. The RQ-4 Block 30 Global Hawk arrived at the Air Force base in the city of Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, earlier on the day. It is the first of four units that South Korea is buying from the US as part of a 2011 deal, with the other three coming in a year later. The Air Force said the military will deploy the aircraft in acc

Dec. 23, 2019

US again flies surveillance aircraft over S. Korea: aviation tracker

The United States flew another surveillance aircraft over the Korean Peninsula, an aviation tracker said Monday, the latest in a series of flights to monitor North Korea amid growing concerns Pyongyang could launch long-range missiles.The US Air Force RC-135W Rivet Joint was spotted flying over the peninsula at 31,000 feet, Aircraft Spots said without specifying the exact time of the operation.The same type of surveillance aircraft made a flight over the peninsula over the weekend, the aviation

Dec. 23, 2019

S. Korea brings in first Global Hawk unmanned aircraft

South Korea brought in its first advanced high-altitude unmanned aircraft, Global Hawk, on Monday in a move expected to boost the country's surveillance capabilities against North Korea, officials said.The RQ-4 Block 30 Global Hawk Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) arrived at an Air Force base in Sacheon on the southern tip of the Korean Peninsula earlier in the day. It is the first of a total of four units that South Korea is purchasing from the United States under a 2011 deal. The three others w

Dec. 23, 2019

US flies surveillance aircraft over Korean Peninsula: aviation tracker

The United States has flown a surveillance plane over the Korean Peninsula, an aviation tracker said Sunday, as tensions are growing over the possibility of North Korea conducting a long-range missile test amid stalemated denuclearization talks.According to Aircraft Spots, a US Air Force RC-135W Rivet Joint conducted a surveillance mission over the peninsula. It did not provide details on when the flight took place, but the mission is presumed to have been carried out over the weekend. The fligh

Dec. 22, 2019

Trump signs defense bill with provision against troop drawdown in S. Korea

US President Donald Trump on Friday signed a defense policy bill containing provisions restricting the drawdown of American troops in South Korea.The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, which authorizes funding for the Department of Defense, passed the Senate on Tuesday and was sent to Trump to be enacted into law.The US president signed the bill during a ceremony held at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, before departing for Florida for the Christmas holidays.The new legislatio

Dec. 21, 2019

S. Korea, Sweden vow continued efforts to deepen security, defense ties

South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven discussed the regional security situation on Friday and vowed to further boost their defense industry cooperation, Jeong's office said. During their meeting at a Seoul hotel, Jeong thanked Sweden for its contribution to building peace on the Korean Peninsula, and the Swedish leader promised his country's continued backing for a peaceful resolution to peninsula issues, according to Seoul's defense ministry.&nb

Dec. 20, 2019

US flies surveillance aircraft over S. Korea: aviation tracker

The United States flew a naval surveillance plane over the Korean Peninsula on Thursday, an aviation tracker has said, amid tensions over the possibility of North Korea launching a long-range rocket in protest over the stalemate in the countries' nuclear talks.According to Aircraft Spots, a US Navy EP-3E plane conducted the reconnaissance mission, just a week after a similar flight by a US Air Force RC-135S Cobra Ball aircraft. The turbo-prop aircraft is capable of conducting tactical electronic

Dec. 20, 2019

US flies surveillance aircraft over S. Korea: aviation tracker

The United States flew a naval surveillance plane over the Korean Peninsula on Thursday, an aviation tracker has said, amid tensions over the possibility of North Korea launching a long-range rocket in protest over the stalemate in the countries‘ nuclear talks.According to Aircraft Spots, a US Navy EP-3E plane conducted the reconnaissance mission, just a week after a similar flight by a US Air Force RC-135S Cobra Ball aircraft. The turbo-prop aircraft is capable of conducting tactical elec

Dec. 19, 2019

Seoul says it will not pay for upkeep of US troops outside of Korea

South Korea’s top negotiator for the defense cost-sharing deal with the United States said Thursday that Seoul has made clear it cannot pay for the cost of maintaining US troops stationed outside the country, a concession that Washington is seeking. A day before, Jeong Eun-bo, Korea’s chief negotiator, and his US counterpart, James DeHart, ended their two-day talks without an agreement on renewing the defense cost-sharing deal, called the Special Measures Agreement. “The SMA is

Dec. 19, 2019

Seoul likely to send troops to Strait of Hormuz

The South Korean government is likely to send military forces to join a US-led multinational coalition to defend the Strait of Hormuz early next year.According to military sources, the 4,400-ton destroyer Wang Geon of the Cheonghae anti-piracy unit is scheduled to leave Busan late this month to relieve the destroyer Kang Gam-chan which is currently operating in the Gulf of Aden.The Wang Geon is expected to arrive in the Gulf of Aden in mid-January, and start anti-piracy operations and escorting

Dec. 18, 2019

[Newsmaker] US Forces Korea ends night curfew for troops after 9 years

US Forces Korea said Tuesday it lifted a curfew for all of its troops, effective immediately. The curfew, set for between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m., was imposed in 2011 amid public outcry over allegations of sexual violence and other crimes by USFK troops. Before making the termination decision, USKF temporarily suspended the curfew until Tuesday, and looked into the results for assessment.  "After assessing the curfew data and consulting with USFK leaders including component commanders, I dec

Dec. 17, 2019

FOC assessment for OPCON transfer is most important task next year: defense minister

Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo called Monday for the military to thoroughly prepare for next year’s assessment for the transfer of wartime operational control from Washington. Presiding over the second meeting to assess the military’s preparedness for the envisioned OPCON transfer, Jeong highlighted the military should be aware that the most important task next year is to successfully complete the Full Operational Capability assessment. Seoul and Washington have been working

Dec. 16, 2019

[News Focus] Who should pay for cleanup of former US military bases?

Under a joint plan in 2003 to relocate most of the US military bases in South Korea to a sprawling military complex south of Seoul, dozens of sites around the country are being vacated after being occupied by US troops for decades. But the transfer process has been drawn out as a result of disputes over who should shoulder the costs of cleaning up the contaminated soil and other environmental pollution the US military left behind. When the US returned four bases to Korea last week, the envi

Dec. 16, 2019

S. Korea is world's 4th-largest customer of US arms: data

South Korea is the fourth-largest buyer of US weapons over the past 10 years, government data showed Monday.According to the global defense market yearbook published by South Korea's Defense Agency for Technology and Quality, the United States exported weapons worth $93.1 billion between 2009 and 2018 to the outside world. Of the total, South Korea bought $6.28 billion, standing at the fourth spot in the world.  Saudi Arabia was the No. 1 customer by purchasing US arms worth $13.47 billion,

Dec. 16, 2019