US B-1B bombers fly over Korea to participate in Seoul air show

Two US B-1B strategic bombers flew over South Korea on Saturday as part of their participation in the Seoul air show. The long-range, multi-mission supersonic bombers flew low over Seoul Air Base for eight minutes as part of the air show, formally called the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition 2017.The first one appeared in the skies over the air base, escorted by two South Korean F-15K fighter jets, and flew as low as just 450-500 meters above the ground before exiting to the w

Oct. 22, 2017

Boeing, Saab compete to win Korea's maritime patrol aircraft deal

US aerospace giant Boeing Co. and Saab of Sweden are vying to win South Korea's next maritime patrol aircraft contract, military sources here said Sunday.Military officials at this year's Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition being held in Seongnam, just south of the capital city, said the two companies have respectively proposed the P-8A Poseidon and Swordfish as candidates for the contract. The planes can allow South Korea to better counter North Korea's growing underwater threa

Oct. 22, 2017

Air Force vows to create new surveillance unit

　South Korea’s Air Force on Friday announced a plan to establish a new surveillance unit by the end of this year, which it said would boost the capability to detect any preparations in North Korea for nuclear and missile attacks. 　The envisioned “Air Intelligence Wing,” to be formed by Dec. 1, will have a task organization and mission largely based on those of the 37th tactical intelligence group located in US Osan air base, it said. 　Employing Global Hawk high-altitude surveillance drones and S

Oct. 20, 2017

Army reveals plan to develop ‘Frankenmissile’ targeting NK

South Korea’s military on Thursday announced a plan to develop “Frankenmissile” to counter North Korea’s escalating missile and nuclear capabilities in a bid to overwhelm the North during the initial phase of the war. In its report to an annual parliamentary audit by the National Assembly’s Defense Committee, the Army said they would develop the “Hyunmoo IV” surface-to-surface missile, powerful enough to destroy North Korea’s underground military facilities and command center. Combined with indi

Oct. 19, 2017

Army confident of destroying N. Korea with ballistic missiles at war

South Korea's Army said Thursday it will be quick in totally destroying North Korea's front-line artillery systems in the event of a war on the peninsula.In a report to the National Assembly, the Army presented a three-tier missile strike concept in the early stage of an armed conflict.The weapon that will first be mobilized is a tactical surface-to-surface missile, called KTSSM and known as artillery killer."KTSSM-I will strike the enemy's tunnels with the 170-mm self-propelled howitzers and 24

Oct. 19, 2017

Marine Corps vows to build new command for ‘strategic islands’

South Korea’s Marine Corps on Thursday announced a plan to establish a new command dedicated to protecting border islands, pledging to defend the sea border against North Korea’s potential attacks and infiltration attempts. In its report to a parliamentary audit Thursday, the Marine Corps said the new command will be built around 2020 and based on the current Northwestern Island Defense Command. It was formed in 2011 following North Korea’s artillery attack on Yeongpyeong Island, one of the farm

Oct. 19, 2017

S. Korea needs to secure pre-emptive strike capability against NK: expert

Seoul needs to actively pursue pre-emptive strike capability to maintain a balance of power with North Korea amid escalating military tensions on the Korean Peninsula, an expert said Thursday. “(South Korea) needs to actively pursue (measures) to secure various pre-emptive strike capabilities,” Choi Kang, vice president of research at the Seoul think-tank Asan Institute for Policy Studies, said at a forum.  US President Donald Trump (Yonhap)The expert highlighted the rogue regime’s growing missi

Oct. 19, 2017

Allies to mobilize Apache to block N. Korean special forces

South Korea and the US will increase the role of Apache heavy attack helicopters in efforts to foil a maritime invasion by North Korea's special forces, lawmakers here said Thursday.The US Forces Korea's AH-64D Apache choppers are joining the Maritime Counter Special Operations exercise underway in the Yellow Sea, according the members of the National Assembly's defense committee. An Apache attack helicopter conducts a firing drill in this file photo. (Yonhap)They were briefed on some naval oper

Oct. 19, 2017

Korean Navy seeks aviation command, new task fleet

South Korea's Navy said Thursday it plans to create an aviation command and a new task fleet in tandem with the military's push for "aggressive operations" in response to North Korean provocations.The Navy aims to put the units into operation by 2023 if the scheme is approved by the government, according to a report to the National Assembly's defense committee for an annual audit.The envisioned aviation command, to be led by a rear admiral-level officer, will be in charge of more than 70 aircraf

Oct. 19, 2017

Opposition chief calls for ‘nuclear alliance’ with US to deter N. Korea

The chief of the conservative main opposition party on Wednesday renewed his call for the redeployment of US tactical nuclear arms to South Korea, arguing a "nuclear alliance" would help deter a belligerent North Korea.Hong Joon-pyo, the hawkish leader of the Liberty Korea Party, made the remarks in his Facebook post five days before he embarks on a five-day trip to Washington to drum up support for the redeployment."While the South Korea-US free trade agreement is an economic alliance, we have

Oct. 18, 2017

Hillary Clinton warns US credibility hurt by Trump’s ‘dangerous’ war of words

Former US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on Wednesday slammed President Donald Trump for engaging in a war of words with North Korea, calling it a “dangerous and short-sighted” move that will only benefit North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un and eventually undermine US credibility. Clinton, who also served as US Secretary of State, stressed the need for more pressure on North Korea and a diplomatic approach to bring the regime to talks, calling on China to play a more proactive role in enfor

Oct. 18, 2017

Lawmaker calls for expanding USFK's prior drill notification

An opposition lawmaker on Wednesday called for an expanded application of a South Korea-US agreement that mandates the US military give prior notice about its planned drills only in regions north of Seoul.Kim Jong-dae of the progressive Justice Party proposed that such a notice also be given to other regions south of Seoul, where residents frequently complain about the disturbing sounds of military firearms and aircraft mobilized for unannounced exercises. This photo, taken Oct. 12, 2017, shows

Oct. 18, 2017

Korean defense chief set for 'military diplomacy' at air show

South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo will hold a series of bilateral meetings with chief foreign delegates at the Seoul air show this week, his ministry said Tuesday.The biennial Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition opened at Seoul Air Base earlier in the day, drawing 405 companies from 33 countries.Dozens of government delegates are here to attend the weeklong event. South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo (Yonhap)Song is scheduled to have bilateral talks with minis

Oct. 17, 2017

Moon calls for export-oriented arms development, enhanced defense capabilities

President Moon Jae-in called Tuesday for a transformation of South Korea's defense industry to boost its exports, as well as for efforts to develop advanced systems to enhance the country's independent defense capabilities."We must widen our view to the world and form joint communities for defense cooperation with friendly nations," the president said in congratulatory remarks marking the start of the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition."We must break away from the current weapo

Oct. 17, 2017

Trump dodges question on visit to DMZ

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump would not confirm Monday whether he plans to visit the demilitarized zone in Korea next month.Trump was asked by reporters during a press conference with Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell about his reported plan to go to the buffer zone dividing the Koreas during his visit to Seoul."Well, I'll be going, as you know, to South Korea, to China, to Japan, to Vietnam for the summit," he said. "And I look forward to all of them. We haven't set the details,

Oct. 17, 2017

South Korean military eyes new operation plan against N.K. threats

 South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) chairman said Monday that the military is considering a new operational plan to counter "advanced" threats from North Korea.   Gen. Jeong Kyeong-doo made the remarks during a parliamentary audit, noting it is separate from the existing operational plans formulated by Seoul and Washington to cope with the North's potential aggression and major provocations.   "We are envisioning a new operational plan in the face of the North's new advanced threats, base

Oct. 16, 2017

Seoul devising new offensive-defense military strategy

The South Korean military is drawing up an offensive-defense strategy aimed at concluding a military conflict with North Korea within the shortest time possible. The plan, revealed by the office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the parliamentary audit Monday, calls for the country’s surveillance and missile capabilities to be strengthened.  Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Jeong Kyeong-doo speaks during a parliamentary audit at the JCS in Seoul on Monday. Yonhap“A war plan designed to e

Oct. 16, 2017

F-22s, B-1B to boast force in Seoul air show

SEOUL AIR BASE, Gyeonggi Province -- The US Air Force's F-22 Raptor fighter jet blasted off Monday, generating a deafening roar at this South Korean air base not that far away from North Korea.The fifth-generation stealth jet strutted its stuff for a 15-minute rehearsal flight on the eve of the opening of the weeklong Seoul air show, formally called the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition 2017.Demonstrating its agility and maneuverability, it wowed media crew and other spectator

Oct. 16, 2017

US ratchets up pressure against NK as allies kick off joint drill

With South Korea and the US kicking off their joint military exercise in a show of force against North Korea, Washington’s senior security and diplomacy officials have reiterated assertive stance against Pyongyang while remaining open to diplomatic solutions to calm the tension. National Security Adviser Gen. H.R. McMaster said President Donald Trump would never allow Pyongyang to threaten the US with a nuclear weapon and that the US has been constantly refining military options against Pyongyan

Oct. 16, 2017

Korea pushes to develop counter-rocket system

South Korea is pushing to develop an indigenous counter-rocket system to fend off persistent threats from North Korea's forward-deployed long-range artillery, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday.In its report to the parliamentary audit, the JCS said that the state-run Agency for Defense Development has been working to develop core technologies for a rocket interception system that employs a "hit-to-kill" platform.The project comes amid concerns that the South is not sufficiently ready to h

Oct. 16, 2017