S.Korea, Australia agree to revive MOU on defense industry cooperation

South Korea and Australia on Monday agreed to revive a bilateral agreement on enhancing defense industrial cooperation after a 10-year gap, and finalized a multimillion-dollar weapons contract. The two countries signed a new memorandum of understanding on the defense industry and materials cooperation, South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration said Monday. “This provides an opportunity for Australia and South Korea to grow into each other’s strategic partner

Dec. 13, 2021

Military reports 25 more COVID-19 cases

South Korea's military on Monday reported 25 additional COVID-19 cases, all of which are breakthrough infections, raising the total caseload among its personnel to 2,738. Of the new cases, 19 people are from the Army, four from the Navy, one from a unit under the direct control of the defense ministry, and one civilian employee, officials said. Currently, 379 military personnel are under treatment. Of the total military caseload, 1,002 are breakthrough cases. (Yonhap)

Dec. 13, 2021

S. Korea to export 30 units of K-9 howitzer to Australia under W930b deal

Australia has signed a contract to buy 30 units of the K-9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer from South Korea, its manufacturer said Monday. The Australian Army will also acquire 15 units of K-10 armored ammunition resupply vehicles under the deal signed between the nation's Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG) and Hanwha Defense Australia, according to Hanwha Defense, based in Seoul. The contract is worth 930 billion won ($788 million), an industry source said. Australia is the

Dec. 13, 2021

S. Korea's homegrown guided missile passes key performance test

South Korea has successfully conducted key performance tests of a homegrown ship-based guided missile ahead of its deployment next year, the state-run defense quality assessment agency and Navy officials said Friday. The Defense Agency for Technology and Quality (DTaQ) said that the missile, called the Haegung, hit the intended target in two tests, one conducted on Wednesday and one Friday. Haegung means sea bow in Korean. The missile is designed to intercept incoming missiles or shoot down

Dec. 10, 2021

Defense minister stresses political neutrality ahead of 2022 presidential poll

South Korea's Defense Minister Suh Wook instructed senior military officials Friday to "strictly" maintain political neutrality ahead of next year's presidential poll, casting the armed forces as "the last bulwark of national defense." Suh made the remarks during a year-end meeting of top commanders from the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, as the country's political parties are quickening their preparations for the March 9 presidential election. "I emphasize th

Dec. 10, 2021

New Navy chief named in regular reshuffle

South Korea's Vice Chief of Naval Operations Vice Adm. Kim Jung-soo will be promoted to admiral and serve as top commander of the Navy as part of a regular reshuffle of generals and admirals, the defense ministry said Friday. Kim, 59, will replace Adm. Boo Suk-jong, who has led the Navy since April last year, in what is expected to be the last senior-level shakeup under the Moon Jae-in administration whose term is set to end in May. When he officially takes office, Kim is expected to face a s

Dec. 10, 2021

S. Korea issues navigational warning in East Sea over planned firing drills

South Korea has issued a navigational warning for ships off the east coast next week over its routine naval firing drills, officials said Friday. The Korea Hydrographic and Oceanographic Agency issued the warning earlier this week as the Joint Chiefs of Staff announced its plan for "regular maritime firing drills" in waters south of Ulleung Island in the East Sea from Monday through Friday, according to the agency officials. The agency said it informed Japan of the updated navigation

Dec. 10, 2021

Top military officials of S. Korea, US discuss timing of OPCON transfer assessment: sources

Top military officials of South Korea and the United States have met to discuss the possibility of conducting an assessment required for the envisioned transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) earlier than the current plan of next fall, sources said Friday. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Won In-choul and Gen. Paul LaCamera, the head of the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command (CFC), held closed-door talks Thursday to discuss the timing of the full operational capability (FOC) asse

Dec. 10, 2021

Military reports 30 more COVID-19 cases

South Korea's military on Friday reported 30 additional COVID-19 cases, including 29 breakthrough infections, raising the total caseload among its personnel to 2,647. Of the new cases, 22 people are from the Army, two from the Marine Corps, one from the Navy, one from the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command and four from units under the direct control of the defense ministry, officials said. Currently, 332 military personnel are under treatment. Of the total military caseload, 914 are brea

Dec. 10, 2021

Military reports 34 more COVID-19 cases

South Korea's military on Thursday reported 34 additional COVID-19 cases, including 31 breakthrough infections, raising the total caseload among its personnel to 2,617. Of the new cases, 22 people are from the Army, six from the Air Force, one from the Navy, four from military units under the direct control of the defense ministry and one from the Joint Chiefs of Staff, officials said. Currently, 320 military personnel are under treatment. Of the total military caseload, 885 are breakthrough c

Dec. 9, 2021

US missile defense in S. Korea under constant review, upgrade: Pentagon press secretary

US missile defense system capabilities including those in South Korea are constantly reviewed and upgraded to meet evolving threats, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said Wednesday. Kirby also highlighted the need for such capabilities to counter threats posed by what he called any "would-be" foes. "This is the kind of capability that we not only believe we need in the region but that we need to continually review and upgrade as necessary," Kirby said when asked if the U

Dec. 9, 2021

S.Korea develops real-time, standoff chemical warfare agent detector

South Korea has developed its first homegrown technology for early detection of chemical weapons attacks at long distances, the state-run weapons development agency announced Wednesday. The Agency for Defense Development said it had independently secured a “Hyperspectral Imaging Stand-off Chemical Agent Detection System,” which provides early warnings by monitoring and identifying the transmission of Chemical Warfare Agents or CWAs in contaminant plumes.  The new remote sensin

Dec. 8, 2021

S. Korea establishes new national cemetery on Jeju

South Korea on Wednesday opened a new state cemetery for fallen national heroes, including independence fighters and Korean War troops, on the southern island of Jeju, the veterans affairs ministry said. The ministry held a ceremony opening the Jeju National Cemetery, the first such facility on the island, with the attendance of some 100 people, including Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, Veterans Affairs Minister Hwang Ki-chul and bereaved families. The bereaved families had called for the establ

Dec. 8, 2021

Military reports 31 more COVID-19 cases

South Korea's military on Wednesday reported 31 additional COVID-19 cases, including 28 breakthrough infections, raising the total caseload among its personnel to 2,583. Of the new cases, 26 people are from the Army, two from the Air Force, two from the Navy and one from a military unit under the direct control of the defense ministry, officials said. Currently, 302 miliary personnel are under treatment. Of the total military caseload, 854 are breakthrough cases. (Yonhap)

Dec. 8, 2021

Military reports 19 more COVID-19 cases

South Korea's military reported 19 additional COVID-19 cases, all of which are breakthrough ones, Monday, raising the total caseload among its personnel to 2,531. Of the new cases, 13 people are from the Army, one from the Air Force, two from the Marine Corps and three from units under the direct control of the defense ministry, officials said. Of the cumulative cases in the military, 279 patients are still under treatment. Amid growing fears of the omicron variant, the military has toughen

Dec. 6, 2021

Navy's frigate Jeonbuk selected as '2021 top gun' ship

South Korea's Navy has selected the 2,500-ton frigate, Jeonbuk, as this year's "top gun" ship following an annual assessment of its warships' combat capabilities, officials said Monday. The frigate of the Third Fleet Command based in Mokpo, 410 kilometers southwest of Seoul, won the title after it passed final gunnery competitions that took place from September to October, the officials said. The competition to pick the top gun vessel has taken place annually since 1988. They are mea

Dec. 6, 2021

Military reports 24 more COVID-19 cases

South Korea's military reported 24 additional COVID-19 cases, including two dozen breakthrough ones, Sunday amid growing concerns over the new omicron variant, raising the total caseload among the armed forces to 2,512. Military personnel from Army, Navy, Air Force and direct units under the defense ministry tested positive for the virus, the military said. Among them, 22 contracted the virus at least two weeks after completing their vaccinations, bringing the total number of breakthrough inf

Dec. 5, 2021

Navy set for launch of light carrier project, spurred by budget passage

South Korea's Navy looks set to embark on a long-cherished project next year to secure a light aircraft carrier, as the National Assembly passed a 7.2 billion won ($6.1 million) budget for the project Friday in a reversal of an earlier move to slash it. The legislature passed the budget in a plenary vote, reversing a committee-level decision last month to reduce it to 500 million won -- a drastic cut that threatened to derail the Navy's push to acquire the coveted vessel by 2033. With the budg

Dec. 3, 2021

S.Korea, US agree to update war plans against growing N. Korean threats

South Korean and US defense chiefs on Thursday agreed to update war plans against Pyongyang’s growing missile and nuclear threats and to conduct a long-postponed assessment required for Seoul to regain wartime operational control, or OPCON, next fall. The announcement comes after South Korea’s Defense Minister Suh Wook and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin hosted the 53rd Security Consultative Meeting the same morning in Seoul. Secretary Austin said Seoul and Washington discussed

Dec. 2, 2021

US JCS chief reaffirms defense, extended deterrence commitments for S. Korea　

The US chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Wednesday reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to defending South Korea and providing extended nuclear deterrence at an annual top-level military meeting. South Korea’s JCS Chairman Gen. Won In-choul and his US counterpart Gen. Mark Milley held the 46th Military Committee Meeting the same morning in Seoul, according to the JCS of each country. At the meeting, both sides reaffirmed the “enduring alliance” and shared the view

Dec. 1, 2021