Cheonghae Unit sets sail for mission amid speculation of serving in Hormuz Strait

Korea’s anti-piracy Cheonghae Unit on Tuesday embarked on its mission in the Gulf of Aden amid speculation that its final destination may be the Strait of Hormuz.As Washington has been calling for its allies to take part in the “international maritime security mission” in the Strait of Hormuz amid heightened tension with Iran, Seoul has been weighing its options. The naval Cheonghae Unit, one of Korea’s military troops deployed overseas, was seen as the most likely t

Aug. 13, 2019

S. Korea mulling further delay of Dokdo defense drills

South Korea is considering conducting maritime defense drills on and around its easternmost islets of Dokdo later this month, military sources said Monday, far behind its usual schedule amid ongoing diplomatic and trade disputes with Japan.The military "plans to stage the drills at an appropriate time," defense ministry spokesperson Choi Hyun-soo told a regular briefing Monday, adding the authorities are reviewing "the exact schedule and scale."The drills, involving the Navy,

Aug. 12, 2019

Trump ridicules S. Korea on defense cost-sharing

US President Donald Trump ridiculed South Korea at his reelection campaign fundraiser Friday, saying it was very easy to force Seoul to hike its share of costs for stationing American troops here.According to the New York Post, Trump referred to how as a boy he used to accompany his father to collect rent, saying: “It was easier to get a billion dollars from South Korea than to get $114.13 from a rent-controlled apartment in Brooklyn, and believe me, those 13 cents were very important.&rdq

Aug. 12, 2019

Allies to conduct summertime military exercise in earnest next week

South Korea and the United States are scheduled to kick off their combined military exercise in earnest next week, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Saturday, despite North Korea's strong complaints against it. The computer-based "Combined Command Post Training" will be conducted for 10 days starting Sunday, which aims to better prepare the allies for the transfer of the wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington to Seoul and to enhance their strong military readiness, the

Aug. 10, 2019

S. Korean, US defense chiefs vow to support diplomacy for NK denuclearization

South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and US Defense Secretary Mark Esper agreed Friday to work together to support diplomatic efforts to denuclearize North Korea despite Pyongyang's saber-rattling amid stalled nuclear talks.During the defense talks held in Seoul, Esper also asked for South Korea to play a role in the US-led coalition to safeguard the Strait of Hormuz, according to officials. The two defense chiefs "reaffirmed their commitments to supporting their diplomatic effort

Aug. 9, 2019

US defense chief arrives in S. Korea

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper arrived in South Korea on Thursday for talks that are expected to focus on a series of requests Washington has been making to Seoul, including a greater financial contribution to the cost of stationing American troops here.Also expected to be on the agenda for Esper's talks with South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo are the US initiative to secure the shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz and Washington's wish to get a military information-sharing pact

Aug. 8, 2019

NSC members review agenda for upcoming high-level defense talks with US

South Korea's top national security officials on Thursday prepared for defense ministerial talks with the United States to be held this week.The new Pentagon chief, Mark Esper, is scheduled to arrive in Seoul later in the day. He will hold talks with Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo on Friday in which a host of alliance issues, as well as how to deal with North Korea, are expected to be discussed. In the weekly session of the National Security Council standing committee, participants "thor

Aug. 8, 2019

Seoul, Washington haven’t started talks for defense cost-sharing deal: Foreign Ministry

South Korea reiterated Thursday that Seoul and Washington will discuss the defense cost-sharing deal in a way that is “fair and reasonable,” but said the negotiations have not started yet, denying a claim to the contrary from US President Donald Trump.On Twitter on Wednesday, Trump wrote as if the new cost-sharing deal were already in place and said South Korea had agreed to a significant increase in its share of the costs for the upkeep of the US troops stationed here.  “

Aug. 8, 2019

US approves $800 m in helicopters for S. Korea

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- The US government has approved the sale of $800 million worth of helicopters to South Korea, the Pentagon announced Wednesday, hours after President Donald Trump said Seoul had agreed to pay more for the US military presence in the country.The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency said the State Department had approved the sale of 12 MH-60R Multi-Mission Seahawk Helicopters and extensive associated radar, communications and weaponry equipment.The helicopters bolster

Aug. 8, 2019

Trump says US-S. Korea talks on defense payment begin

US President Donald Trump tweeted Wednesday that talks to get South Korea to increase its contribution to the upkeep of US forces in the country have begun. "South Korea is a very wealthy nation that now feels an obligation to contribute to the military defense provided by the United States of America. The relationship between the two countries is a very good one!" Trump wrote in a tweet.He added, "South Korea has agreed to pay substantially more money to the United States in orde

Aug. 7, 2019

[Newsmaker] South Korea expected to conduct maritime defense drills on Dokdo this month

South Korea is planning to conduct combined maritime defense drills on and around its easternmost islets of Dokdo as early as this month, government sources said Wednesday. During a parliamentary committee session, National Security Director Chung Eui-yong confirmed Tuesday that the government would carry out two maritime drills this year. While the date has not yet been decided, military sources said the maritime drills are likely to take place before or after the Liberation Day holiday Aug. 15

Aug. 7, 2019

Bolton links missile deployment to protecting allies in S. Korea, Japan

US National Security Adviser John Bolton said Tuesday that Washington's recent willingness to deploy intermediate-range missiles in Asia has to do with protecting its allies in South Korea and Japan.Bolton made the comment on Fox News in response to China's protests against US plans to consider deploying conventional, intermediate-range missiles in Asia. US Defense Secretary Mark Esper made the plan known over the weekend after Washington withdrew from a missile treaty with Russia."That's b

Aug. 7, 2019

Cheong Wa Dae convenes emergency meeting on N. Korea's rocket launch

Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday it's holding an emergency meeting of security-related ministers to discuss North Korea's latest launch of unidentified projectiles.Chung Eui-yong, head of the national security office, is presiding over the session, which opened in the underground bunker of the presidential compound at 7:30 a.m., according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Ko Min-jung. Also attending it are Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and Suh Hoon, chief of the National Intelligence Service.Earlier i

Aug. 6, 2019

Esper to raise Homuz, cost-sharing in Seoul

Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo will hold a meeting with US counterpart Mark Esper in Seoul on Friday, amid Washington’s growing calls for allies to support protecting shipping routes from Iranian attacks in the Middle East. The US defense secretary’s trip comes as both countries face crucial security issues, including North Korea’s recent missile launches in protest against a South Korea-US military exercise and the building of a global coalition to patrol the Gulf shipping

Aug. 5, 2019

S. Korea, US kick off combined military exercise despite NK warnings

South Korea and the United States began a joint military exercise as scheduled Monday, sources said, even though North Korea has strongly complained against the maneuvers and rattled its sabers with a series of missile launches.The "crisis management staff training" kicked off earlier in the day as a preliminary session in the runup to the command post exercise (CPX) aimed at strengthening the allies' combined posture and capabilities to cope with contingencies on the Korean Peninsula,

Aug. 5, 2019

No discussions on US missile deployment in S. Korea: ministry

South Korea has had no discussions with the United States on the possible deployment of US intermediate-range missiles on its soil, nor does it plan to do so, the defense ministry said Monday.Some media outlets have speculated that South Korea could be one of candidate sites for US missiles, after Washington pledged to deploy them in Asia and elsewhere to maintain deterrence after withdrawing from an anti-missile treaty with Russia."Our government did not have any official discussions with

Aug. 5, 2019

S. Korea reviews 'propriety' of military intel-sharing pact with Japan: ministry

South Korea is reviewing whether it is right to continue exchanging military intelligence with Japan under a bilateral information-sharing pact, the defense ministry said Monday, amid speculation Seoul could rescind the agreement over a trade and diplomatic row with Tokyo.Officials in Seoul have hinted at the possibility of scrapping the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) in response to a series of retaliatory measures Japan has taken over a row surrounding wartime force

Aug. 5, 2019

New US defense chief to visit S. Korea this week

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper will visit South Korea this week for talks with his South Korean counterpart, the South Korean defense ministry said Sunday.The trip comes as North Korea continues its military provocations against South Korea's joint military exercises with the United States and as Washington reportedly wants Seoul to increase its contribution to the cost of stationing 28,500 American troops in its Asian ally's territory. During his stay in Seoul, Esper will meet with South Korea

Aug. 4, 2019

S. Korea, US to begin joint military drills Monday

South Korea and the United States will stage joint military drills as scheduled despite warnings from North Korea, the South Korean military authority said Sunday.The joint drills will begin Monday with a computer-simulated command post exercise (CPX) to cope with any emergency on the Korean Peninsula and last for half a month, according to the authority.After the CPX, the allies will spend the remaining 10 days intensively verifying Seoul's capabilities for its envisioned retaking of wartime op

Aug. 4, 2019

S. Korea mulling conducting defense drills on Dokdo this month: sources

South Korea is considering carrying out a combined maritime defense drill on and around its easternmost islets of Dokdo as early as this month, military and government sources said Sunday.The military exercise, if conducted, would come amid an escalating row with Japan over shared history that has spilled into the economic realm after Japan last month imposed a tougher approval process for exports of some chemicals to South Korea.  The row intensified on Friday as Tokyo approved a plan to r

Aug. 4, 2019