State Department: Korea, Lockheed Martin have 'necessary approvals' for KF-X project

The U.S. State Department said Wednesday that South Korea and its fighter jet development project partner firm, Lockheed Martin, have the "necessary approvals" to proceed with the project, confirming its approval of Lockheed Martin's plan to transfer key technologies to Seoul.The department also pledged to continue to support the KF-X project "to the maximum extent possible.""At this point, the United States is confident Lockheed Martin and the Republic of Korea currently have the necessary appr

Dec. 10, 2015

U.S. military commander sees S. Korea as possible candidate for THAAD deployment: report

South Korea is a possible candidate for the deployment of a THAAD missile defense battery aimed at guarding against regional threats, primarily from North Korea, a top U.S. military commander was quoted Wednesday as saying.U.S. Army's Pacific Commander Gen. Vincent Brooks made the remark during a meeting with defense reporters Tuesday, saying the Army is pushing to have the THAAD unit deployed on the Pacific island of Guam remain there on a permanent basis, instead of the current rotational depl

Dec. 10, 2015

U.S. broadly agrees to transfer fighter jet technologies: ministry

The United States has agreed within a "broad framework" to transfer a set of technologies needed for South Korea's indigenous fighter jet program, the Ministry of National Defense said Wednesday.  A South Korean government delegation visited Washington last week for talks with U.S. defense giant Lockheed Martin amid reports that the U.S. is reluctant to transfer three of the 21 technologies under discussion.  South Korea agreed with Lockheed Martin last year to receive 25 combat jet technologies

Dec. 9, 2015

Korea tracks failed Russian satellite via military space center

The South Korean military's new space center effectively monitored a Russian satellite that fell back to Earth earlier this week, the Air Force said Wednesday.  The Space Operations Center was established in July as part of South Korea's efforts to beef up space war capabilities.  Confronted with North Korea's 1.1-million troops across the border, the South's 600,000-strong troops have traditionally focused on bolstering combat readiness on the peninsula.  The Air Force, however, has launched an

Dec. 9, 2015

JCS chief inspects anti-terror exercise

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Lee Sun-jin on Tuesday called for a swift military response to any terrorist attack using chemical, biological and radiological weapons.  He was inspecting a related exercise in Seoul with the scenario of warding off toxic gas spread by terrorists at an express bus terminal.   Soldiers at the Chemical, Biological and Radiological Defense Command participated in the training also involving a chopper and a reconnaissance robot, the Army said.  The drill was aime

Dec. 8, 2015

U.S. uneasy about Korea‘s handling of fighter jet project

The United States is displeased with South Korea's disclosure of information related to its troubled fighter jet development project, multiple sources here said Monday.  South Korea has sought the transfer of two dozen technologies from the ally in its $15-billion program, codenamed KF-X, aimed at producing its own fighter jet to replace the aging fleet of F-4s and F-5s.  This desire for technology is one of the key reasons for Seoul's decision last week to buy 40 F-35s from Lockheed Martin.  Bu

Dec. 7, 2015

Seoul to develop unmanned stealth aircraft to counter Pyongyang

South Korea will develop a stealth unmanned aerial vehicle to counter North Korea's long-range artillery and mobile missile systems, a South Korean defense official said Sunday.The development is part of the 31 research projects to be conducted by the South Korean military by the end of next year, the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Yonhap News Agency.These stealth UAVs will stand by at higher altitudes than other aerial defense systems owned by North Korea and thwart the ene

Dec. 6, 2015

KAI seeks to boost foray into Indonesian defense market

Korea Aerospace Industries forged a strategic partnership Friday with PT Dirgantara Indonesia, a state-run plane developer, as it seeks to expand its foray into the Southeast Asian country’s defense market following the export of its trainer aircrafts. Under the agreement, the two firms will crank up cooperation in the areas of both military and civilian aviation and the development of unmanned aerial vehicles and other systems by creating a joint panel and holding two rounds of meetings every y

Dec. 4, 2015

Korea to raise defense budget 3.6% to W38.8tr

The country’s defense budget is set to hike 3.6 percent to 38.8 trillion won ($33.3 billion) next year on the back of an increase in salaries and production costs of utility helicopters and other weapons systems. Overall, more than 27.1 trillion won was allotted for force operations, while some 11 trillion won will be spent to advance defense capabilities such as by continuing the establishment of the Kill Chain and the Korea Air and Missile Defense preemptive strike systems slated to be complet

Dec. 3, 2015

4,500 U.S. troops to deploy to Korea next year as part of force rotation

A U.S. Army brigade with some 4,500 troops will deploy to South Korea early next year as part of a regular rotation of forces, the Department of the Army announced.The 1st Cavalry Division's 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team will replace the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team that was deployed in June under a decision to replace a permanent brigade, which had been stationed in South Korea since 1965, with a rotational unit.Rotation takes place every nine months."The 1st Cavalry Division reflects mutu

Dec. 2, 2015

U.S. to provide maximum support for Korea's KF-X project: State Department

The United States will provide maximum support for South Korea's indigenous fighter jet development project, the State Department said Tuesday, dismissing speculation that Washington might be reluctant to back the program.The State Department is responsible for approving U.S. defense giant Lockheed Martin's promised transfer of key technologies to South Korea for the fighter program, known as the "KF-X" project.Speculation about U.S. reluctance arose after reports that the department was negativ

Dec. 2, 2015

Air Force air control unit expands for joint operations

The Air Force on Tuesday launched its newly expanded tactical air control group to meet the military’s growing needs of joint operations. The organization is an upgrade from the previous tactical air control group established in 1961 as a training unit for joint air-ground operations and to take charge of close air support operations and air control during missions to destroy enemy weapons. To improve the duty effectiveness and communications with other military branches, the Air Force plans to

Dec. 1, 2015

New Marine Corps brigade created in Jeju

A new Marine Corps brigade was launched Tuesday to undertake a mission to defend the southern resort island of Jeju and its adjacent area, the Marine Corps said.The new 9th Brigade will take over the mission to secure the safety of the southern island area from the Navy-led Jeju Defense Command, which was recently decommissioned in a reshuffle.The Navy established the new Jeju Naval Base Squadron in lieu of the dissolved command to take charge of a naval base which will be launched early next ye

Dec. 1, 2015

Korea's nuclear power reliance 4th-highest worldwide: report

South Korea's reliance on nuclear power is the fourth-largest in the world while its use of renewable energy ranks near the bottom, a report showed Monday.According to the World Factbook by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, Asia's fourth-largest economy possessed a total installed power generation capacity of 94 gigawatts, placing it 13th in the world. The country's annual electricity generation output stood at 517 terawatts placing it 11th, while it ranked 10th in terms of consumption at 48

Nov. 30, 2015

Navy set to unveil new base on Jeju, maritime choke point for N. Korea

Concluding two decades of preparations and controversies, the Navy is set to unveil a new naval base on the southern resort island of Jeju, where it could launch warships against North Korea's potential provocations in a dramatically shortened amount of time. The construction work for the Jeju civil-military sea port base, spanning nearly 500,000 square meters with docks running some5 kilometers in the direction of the East China Sea, is 96 percent complete as of late November, according to Capt

Nov. 29, 2015