South Korea’s defense chief said Thursday he does not expect North Korea to carry out a nuclear test “at an early date,” with his ministry vowing to maintain a strong military posture against possible provocations by the North.In protest against a fresh United Nations resolution condemning its grave human rights situation, Pyongyang threatened to intensify its nuclear weapons deterrence.The website 38 North, run by the U.S.-Korea Institute at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International St

Nov. 20, 2014

South Korea has been closely watching North Korea's movements related to the operations of its nuclear facilities, the defense ministry said Thursday, vowing to maintain a strong military posture against possible provocations by the North.In protest against a fresh United Nations resolution condemning its grave human rights situation, Pyongyang threatened to intensify its nuclear weapons deterrence.The website 38 North, run by the U.S.-Korea Institute at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced Inte

Nov. 20, 2014

The arms procurement agency said Wednesday it will complete the deployment of some 100 next-generation battle tanks fitted with an indigenous engine and transmission by 2017.During a defense project committee meeting presided over by Defense Minister Han Min-koo, the government decided to deploy theK-2 Black Panther by the end of 2017, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).The development of the advanced combat vehicle had been delayed after it repeatedly failed to m

Nov. 19, 2014

The government plans to establish a large-scale investigation team of civilian and military prosecutors, state auditors, police and taxation officials to stamp out rampant corruption in the local defense industry, officials said Monday.The details such as the launch date and the scale of the team have yet to be finalized, and the government is expected to make an announcement as early as next week, according to the officials.“As the team is designed to look into corruption in the defense industr

Nov. 18, 2014

The South Korean Navy and the Marine Corps said Friday they plan to kick off a large-scale joint landing exercise later this week to bolster preparations against North Korea's provocations.   The six-day amphibious landing exercise starting Saturday will take place on the southeast coast of the Korean Peninsula as part of the military's ongoing annual war exercise of Hoguk (national protection), which involves all branches of service, according to officers.     The landing drill will involve som

Nov. 14, 2014

Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's largest carmaker, is expected to post record annual sales for India in 2014, thanks to strong demand for its all-new i20 supermini, company officials said Friday.    According to Indian data, Hyundai sales in the 10 months of this year rose 8 percent to 343,456 units. At the present pace, the carmaker's sales will likely exceed the record 391,276 units sold for the whole of 2012, officials said.   Hyundai sold 38,010 cars last month, up 5.6 percent from the year

Nov. 14, 2014

The South Korean military plans to carry out a drill to deter trespassers on its easternmost islets of Dokdo later this month, a government source said Friday.    The drill is scheduled to take place on Nov. 24 on the rocky outcroppings in the East Sea and in its surrounding waters, aiming "to repel non-military forces that approach the islets via a sea or air route," a source said, requesting anonymity.   The planned exercise will involve some five to six destroyers and convoys as well as some

Nov. 14, 2014

The South Korean and U.S. air forces will launch their regular joint military exercise this week to sharpen their combined defense ability, the South Korean military said Thursday.The twice-a-year aerial exercise, Max Thunder, was first launched in 2008 between the two countries' air forces to foster their joint training against potential North Korean threats. The upcoming drill is the two allies' second Max Thunder exercise this year, following the first one carried out in April.This year's exe

Nov. 13, 2014

South Korea was pushing to change the contractor for its project to upgrade its aging fleet of F-16 fighters from BAE Systems to Lockheed Martin after rows over a cost hike, military sources here said Thursday. South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and the U.S. defense ministry agreed to have BAE Systems upgrade 134 aircraft of the KF-16 variants C and D Block 52 to improve their electronic warfare capabilities. The Seoul government, however, has halted the contract wit

Nov. 13, 2014

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The U.S. government is getting near-daily reports _ and sometimes two or three a day _ of drones flying near airplanes and helicopters or close to airports without permission, federal and industry officials tell The Associated Press. It's a sharp increase from just two years ago when such reports were still unusual.Many of the reports are filed with the Federal Aviation Administration by airline pilots. But other pilots, airport officials and local authorities often file repor

Nov. 12, 2014

ZHUHAI, China (AFP) - China's new stealth jet fighter rocketed skywards Wednesday as Beijing puts on an unprecedented display of openness -- and military force -- at the country's premier airshow.The black J-31 rose in a nearly vertical climb on take-off in Zhuhai before circling back and doing two rolls, in the aircraft's first announced public appearance.The plane's existence has been the subject of rumour and speculation for years, with photographs appearing increasingly frequently on militar

Nov. 12, 2014

South Korea plans to dispatch military officers to the ongoing bilateral U.S.-Japan field training exercise to boost cooperation with the allies, Seoul officials said Wednesday.The Keen Sword exercise is the latest in a series of bilateral field training exercises since 1986 involving the U.S. military and Japan Self-Defense Force designed to increase combat readiness and interoperability between the two sides."Two or three lieutenant colonel-level South Korean officers from the defense ministry

Nov. 12, 2014

The defense ministry plans to build a new complex to house the Army's cyber command, military sources said Tuesday, a move expected to draw controversy as the command is at the center of an election-meddling scandal.According to the sources, the cyber command plans to push for constructing a new independent complex of some 43,504 square meters in Yongsan, central Seoul, by around 2016 with a budget of 71.7 billion won (US$66.07 million)."The new complex is needed to help boost our capacity to be

Nov. 11, 2014

South Korean troops fired warning shots near the border separating the rival countries as North Korean soldiers approached the Military Demarcation Line near Paju, Gangwon Province, the office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday.According to the JCS office, more than 10 North Korean soldiers were spotted approaching the demarcation line at about 9:40 a.m Monday. Located within the Demilitarized Zone, the MDL divides the two Koreas. “At about 9:40 a.m., about 10 North Korean soldiers approac

Nov. 10, 2014

The South Korean military began its annual war exercise involving all branches of service on Monday to bolster its defense posture against potential threats from North Korea, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.This year’s 12-day Hoguk exercise involving the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps “will focus on ways to establish supreme military defense capabilities against (North Korea’s) possible regional provocations and all-out war,” the JCS said in a statement.The exercise was to be conducted ac

Nov. 10, 2014

The South Korean military began its annual war exercise involving all branches of service on Monday to bolster its defense posture against belligerent North Korea, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. This year's 12-day Hoguk exercise involving the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps "will focus on ways to establish supreme military defense capabilities against (North Korea's) possible regional provocations and all-out war," the JCS said in a statement. The exercise was to be conducted

Nov. 10, 2014

South Korea's arms procurement agency plans to employ more civilians and fewer soldiers, as part of its efforts to reform the organization that has been tainted by a series of corruption scandals, according to the agency's chief."We are considering reducing the number of military officers and increasing the number of civil servants," said Lee Yong-geol, head of the country's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), in an interview with Yonhap News Agency on Friday.The remarks come afte

Nov. 9, 2014

WASHINGTON (Yonhap) ― The U.S. government has approved a possible sale to South Korea of PAC-3 interceptor missiles and related equipment for an estimated cost of $1.405 billion, a U.S. defense agency said.The State Department has approved South Korea’s request that 136 PAC-3 missiles be sold to the Asian ally, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement.The agency said it delivered the required certification notifying Congress of the sale Wednesday.The estimated cost is $1.405 b

Nov. 7, 2014