The Korea Herald

THAAD aimed at N.K. not China: U.S. MD chief

The upcoming deployment of a U.S. advanced missile defense system here is strictly for the protection of South Korea against North Korea‘s ballistic missile threats and will not be used against China, U.S. Missile Defense Agency chief reiterated Thursday.Visiting Vice Admiral James D. Syring, the director of the MDA, addressed concerns about the negative repercussions on having the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system in the Korean peninsula. Vice Admiral James D. Syring/ Joint Press Corp.

Aug. 11, 2016

THAAD aimed at N.K. not China: U.S. MD chief

Opposition lawmakers defend their China visit over THAAD

A group of opposition lawmakers, who visited China this week to discuss the planned deployment of an advanced U.S. anti-missile system to South Korea, defended their controversial trip Thursday, saying it helped bilateral diplomatic relations.Six first-term lawmakers of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) visited Beijing from Monday to Wednesday to discuss with Chinese officials and scholars the plan to deploy a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense battery to the peninsula by end-2017

Aug. 11, 2016

No. of petitioners to White House against THAAD deployment tops 100,000

The number of people filing petitions to the White House has reached above the 100,000 mark against the decision by South Korea and the United States to set up a new missile defense system in South Korea to counter North Korea's missile threats, a section of the U.S. administration's website said Wednesday.As of the afternoon of the same day, a petition against the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system drew a total of 103,335 signatures on We the People, a petitioning sys

Aug. 11, 2016

No. of petitioners to White House against THAAD deployment tops 100,000

China should welcome THAAD deployment in Korea: U.S. expert

China and Russia should welcome the decision to deploy the U.S. THAAD missile defense system in South Korea because it helps lessen the need for Seoul to seek other defense options, including development of its own nuclear weapons, a U.S. expert said Wednesday.Richard Weitz, director of the Center for Political-Military Analysis at the Hudson Institute in Washington, made the point in an article, titled "Better THAAD than Dead," arguing that South Korea has ample reasons to shore up defense and

Aug. 11, 2016

S. Korea to complete radar development for homegrown jets by 2026

South Korea has kicked off development of an advanced radar for its indigenous fighter jet project set for completion by 2026, the military-affiliated arms procurement agency said Wednesday.According to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, the state-run Agency for Defense Development held a meeting on development and systems integration for the active electronically scanned array for the Korean Fighter Experimental, or KF-X, project. The meeting, held at the ADD headquarters in Daejeo

Aug. 10, 2016

S. Korea to complete radar development for homegrown jets by 2026

Korea's military ready to hold talks with THAAD site residents

South Korea's military said Wednesday it is always open to dialogue with residents opposed to the deployment of an advanced missile defense shield, over health risks linked to its powerful radar. "We have no reasons to reject talks with Seongju residents over the THAAD deployment. There seems to be a consensus in Seongju in the making for talks with the government. Once they decide to have a dialogue, they said they will contact us," an official at the Ministry of National Defense said.Earlier t

Aug. 10, 2016

Korea to complete radar development for KF-X jets by 2026

South Korea will complete the development of an advanced radar system to be placed on the country's indigenous fighter jets by 2026 that will greatly boost its air-combat capabilities, the state arms procurement agency said Wednesday. The state-run Agency for Defense Development has begun the process of developing the active electronically scanned array radars for some 120 KF-X fighter jets that South Korea seeks to develop by the mid-2020s, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration said.

Aug. 10, 2016

Korea to complete radar development for KF-X jets by 2026

South Korea to upgrade surveillance equipment at DMZ

South Korea's military said Wednesday it will upgrade thermal observation devices installed at the heavily fortified inter-Korean border to cope with growing threats from North Korea. The upgrade aims to closely monitor and detect any provocative movements from the North along the Demilitarized Zone. In August last year, two South Korean soldiers were seriously injured after land mines planted by the North exploded."The Defense Agency for Technology and Quality has begun upgrading TODs which can

Aug. 10, 2016

South Korea to upgrade surveillance equipment at DMZ

U.S. deploys 3 B-2 bombers to Guam amid tensions with North Korea

The United States deployed three B-2 stealth bombers to Guam on Tuesday, the Strategic Command said, as tensions are running high on the Korean Peninsula in the wake of North Korea's latest missile launches.The nuclear-capable bombers, which were deployed from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, will conduct local and regional training sorties and integrate capabilities with key regional partners, ensuring bomber crews maintain a high state of readiness and crew proficiency, the command said in

Aug. 10, 2016

Seoul to deploy Asia's first Taurus missiles

The South Korean military will deploy within a few months “jamming proof” air-to-ground guided missiles in a move to quickly enhance the country’s ability to detect and destroy North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction, officials said Tuesday.Dozens of Taurus missiles that can be carried on F-15K fighters will be delivered from Germany by the end of this year.The development follows the U.S. government’s approval of exports of military GPS receivers that can be attached to war planes. These are

Aug. 9, 2016

Seoul to deploy Asia's first Taurus missiles

Taurus missiles to start operation with Korean Air Force this year

South Korea plans to deploy dozens of "jamming proof" air-to-ground guided missiles that can be carried on its F-15K fighters in a bid to bolster its strike capabilities amid mounting military threats from North Korea, military officials said Tuesday. Dozens of Taurus missiles will be brought in from Germany by the end of this year as the U.S. government has recently approved the exports of critical military GPS receivers which can be attached to war planes, according to the military. The recei

Aug. 9, 2016

Taurus missiles to start operation with Korean Air Force this year

Korean, U.S. navies agree to bolster cooperation in anti-submarine warfare

The navies of South Korea and the United States agreed Thursday to bolster cooperation and information sharing, especially in anti-submarine warfare, in order to address threats across the region, the U.S. Navy said Thursday.Adm. Jung Ho-sub, South Korea's chief of naval operations, reached the agreement when he held talks with his U.S. counterpart, Adm. John Richardson, at the Pentagon, the Navy said in a release. "It's extremely important as we work together -- as our two navies work together

Aug. 5, 2016

JCS chief visits northwest sea border area amid tensions

South Korea‘s top general said Thursday North Korea will face strong retaliation that could severely undermine its regime if it stages another provocation.South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Lee Sun-jin made the remarks during his visit to a marine unit and naval patrol boat detachment in Yeonpyeong Island and other front-line islands. The four-star general checked the units' preparedness to counter military provocations along the Northern Limit Line (NLL), an official statem

Aug. 4, 2016

JCS chief visits northwest sea border area amid tensions

Defense Ministry to review other sites for THAAD

The South Korean Defense Ministry said Thursday that it may revise its plan to deploy the advanced U.S. missile defense system in Seongsan-ri, Seongju-gun, North Gyeongsang Province.The ministry’s statement followed President Park Geun-hye’s remarks earlier in the day that she will consider stationing the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system in other places in Seongju.“If the local government requests so, the ministry will review other places within the Seongju area for THAAD deployment, b

Aug. 4, 2016

Defense Ministry to review other sites for THAAD

Chinese newspaper's criticism of THAAD not based on objective facts: gov't official

A recent decision by South Korea and the United States to place an advanced missile defense system on Korean soil is aimed at countering threats from North Korea, a government official said Thursday, saying that it's regrettable to see criticism by a Chinese state-run newspaper not based on objective facts.In an editorial dated on Wednesday, People's Daily claimed that the planned deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system poses a serious threat to China's strategic security inte

Aug. 4, 2016

U.S. deploys dozen F-16 jets to S. Korea amid N. Korea tensions

A dozen U.S. F-16 fighter jets and hundreds of airmen have arrived in South Korea to help beef up defense of the Asian ally, the U.S. Pacific Air Forces said, as North Korea keeps ratcheting up tensions with a series of missile launches.The South Carolina Air National Guard's 169th Fighter Wing arrived at South Korea's Osan Air Base with more than "300 Airmen and 12 F-16 Fighting Falcons, ready to demonstrate the commitment to always be ready to 'fight tonight,'" PACAF said in a statement Tuesda

Aug. 4, 2016

U.S. deploys dozen F-16 jets to S. Korea amid N. Korea tensions

Army unveils reconnaissance drill near DMZ amid growing N.K. threats

PAJU (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Army spotlighted a tactical drill conducted by one of its reconnaissance teams near the Demilitarized Zone on Wednesday amid a steady rise in cross-border provocations that were punctuated by North Korea firing off two missiles earlier in the day.The exercise was carried out by the Army unit located just a few kilometers south of the DMZ and took place one day before the first anniversary of the North Korea-planted land mine blasts that maimed two South Korean sold

Aug. 3, 2016

North Korea fires 2 missiles: 1 lands near Japan

North Korea on Wednesday fired two intermediate-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea, South Korean and the U.S. militaries said. One exploded mid-air and the other landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone in the East Sea.The latest launches appear to be a show of force against the allies, particularly with the allies recently agreeing to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula to counter Pyongyang’s missiles. According to the U.S.

Aug. 3, 2016

North Korea fires 2 missiles: 1 lands near Japan

N.K. missile provocation bolsters case for THAAD deployment: foreign minister

North Korea's latest missile provocation will bolster the case for South Korea and the United States to place an advanced missile defense system on the peninsula as it demonstrates the threats from Pyongyang's pursuit of weapons of mass destruction, Seoul's top diplomat said Wednesday.Earlier in the day, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said that the North test-fired a mid-range Rodong missile from the western area of the country into waters off its east coast. The U.S. later said that the No

Aug. 3, 2016

Opposition parties agree to set up panels over THAAD controversy, prosecution reform

The three opposition parties on Wednesday agreed to set up two special parliamentary panels to address an ongoing controversy over the deployment of an advanced U.S. antimissile system and reform the prosecution.The agreement was reached after the floor leaders of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea and two minor parties -- the People's Party and Justice Party -- held talks over an array of pending issues, including the planned deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery.Th

Aug. 3, 2016