Defense ministry to investigate Air Force officer's suicide after harassment

The defense ministry said Tuesday it will directly investigate the death of an Air Force officer who died of apparent suicide, allegedly after suffering harassment by a colleague, amid criticism the military failed to properly respond to the victim's call for support. In March, the female master sergeant stationed in the western city of Seosan was sexually harassed by the man surnamed Jang inside a car on their way back to the base after a private gathering that she was forced to attend, accor

June 1, 2021

Ministry brushes off speculation over Janssen vaccines from US

Seoul’s Defense Ministry on Tuesday flatly denied speculation over the reasons behind Washington’s decision to send Janssen's COVID-19 vaccines for the Korean military, saying the vaccine type has been decided through consultations between the two countries. “The Janssen vaccine was the most proper option to cover 550,000 people among the stockpiles secured by the US Defense Department,” the ministry’s spokesperson Boo Seung-chan told a media briefing, refuting cla

June 1, 2021

Govt. to launch task force to improve troops' living conditions

The defense ministry will launch an interagency task force to come up with measures to improve troops' living conditions after a series of complaints over poor meal quality and other inconveniences, officials said Tuesday. The quality of military meals has emerged as a hot issue after active-duty soldiers uploaded photos showing poor quality meals on a Facebook page serving as an anonymous bulletin board for troops, leading to Defense Minister Suh Wook issuing an apology. Those under COVID-19

June 1, 2021

Military reports 3 more coronavirus cases

An Air Force officer and two Army members tested positive for the new coronavirus, the latest in a series of infections at barracks, the defense ministry said Tuesday. The airman in the city of Osan was confirmed to have been infected in a test required to exit quarantine. He has been in isolation after coming into contact with his colleague who tested positive earlier, according to the ministry. One enlisted soldier and an Army officer tested positive following their recent vacations, it adde

June 1, 2021

[Newsmaker] Air Force officer dies in suicide after being sexually harassed by colleague

An Air Force officer has died in an apparent suicide after being sexually harassed by a colleague, officials said Tuesday. In March, the female master sergeant stationed in the central city of Seosan was sexually harassed by the man surnamed Jang inside a car on their way back to the base after a private gathering that she was forced to attend, according to the officials. She then reported the case to the authorities the following day, but the military allegedly failed to take appropriate step

June 1, 2021

S. Korea discovers more Korean War remains in DMZ

South Korea discovered 28 more bone fragments believed to be from troops killed in the 1950-53 Korean War as well as thousands of artifacts inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) so far this year, the defense ministry said Tuesday. The military resumed a demining and excavation operation on Arrowhead Ridge in Cheorwon, about 90 kilometers northeast of Seoul, on April 5, after months of hiatus during winter, to continue the project launched in 2019. Over the past two months, the military has disco

June 1, 2021

S. Korea to develop diverse space launch platforms

South Korea will push to develop diverse platforms to fire off space launch vehicles from air and sea, the defense ministry said Monday, after the United States lifted all restrictions on the country's missiles. Earlier this month, South Korea and the US announced their decision to scrap the 1979 bilateral guidelines that ban Seoul from developing or possessing missiles with a maximum flight range greater than 800 kilometers. "In order to beef up our defense capabilities following the ter

May 31, 2021

Military to begin vaccinating troops under 30 next week

The military will begin administering coronavirus vaccines to service members aged under 30 next week, the defense ministry said Monday. "We plan to begin vaccinating those aged under 30 next week, with Pfizer's vaccines expected to be provided," ministry spokesman Boo Seung-chan said during a regular press briefing. The military has completed providing the first doses of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccines to some 117,000 service members aged 30 and older who have agreed to be inoculate

May 31, 2021

[Newsmaker] Korean expats seek alternative military service

Advocacy groups for overseas Koreans are demanding for measures to protect the rights of expats living outside of South Korea in carrying out their mandatory military service, as a revision that recently took effect infringes their right to visit and stay in their home country as lawful citizens. The Korean International Network and others claimed in a joint statement Sunday that the right to choose their place of living could be infringed for third and fourth generation Korean nationals living

May 30, 2021

2 soldiers, 1 airmen test positive for coronavirus

Two Army soldiers and an Air Force officer have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Sunday. The soldier in the border town of Cheorwon received a positive result for COVID-19 in a test required to exit quarantine. He has been in isolation since coming into contact with his base members who contracted the virus earlier, according to the ministry. The remaining soldier and the officer were confirmed to have been infected following their recent vacations, it added.

May 30, 2021

3 soldiers, 2 airmen test positive for coronavirus

Three Army soldiers and two airmen have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Friday. The Army officers based in Hongcheon, some 100 kilometers east of Seoul, were confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 after one of them first developed symptoms, according to the ministry. On follow-up tests at the unit, 156 people have tested negative, while 16 are waiting for their results. In Osan, 55 km south of Seoul, two Air Force officers have tested positive while in quaran

May 28, 2021

Joint military exercises key to ensuring defense readiness of S. Korea, US: Pentagon

Joint military drills are a key measure to ensure the readiness of South Korean and US forces, a Pentagon spokesman said Wednesday, even as the pandemic has thrown the timetable out the window. The spokesman noted the scope and timing of future exercises will be determined through close consultation between the two allies. "Military readiness is a top priority of the Secretary of Defense. Our combined military training events are a principal method of ensuring our combined Alliance readin

May 27, 2021

3 Army soldiers test positive for COVID-19

Three more Army soldiers have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Thursday. Two soldiers, based in Goyang, northwest of Seoul, and the border county of Cheorwon, respectively, were confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 after virus cases were reported at their units, according to the ministry. An officer in the northeastern county of Inje tested positive upon return from a vacation. The latest cases raised the total number of infections reported among the militar

May 27, 2021

Military cooks ‘overworked’ amid quarantine meals furor

As the military scrambles to improve meals amid continued reports of underfed conscripts in quarantine, overworked military cooks may be overlooked. Army cooks work nonstop from 5 a.m. through 8 p.m., according to an account from a person who claims her son is an Army cook at a base near Seoul. The day-to-day tasks include offloading food from trucks, managing ingredients, cleaning up after meals and taking photos of the meals given to soldiers under quarantine. “Army cooks are burnt out

May 26, 2021

Veterans affairs minister holds talks with Colombian president Duque

Veterans Affairs Minister Hwang Ki-chul held talks with Colombian President Ivan Duque during a visit to the Latin American country aimed at expressing thanks to the country's Korean War veterans, his office said Wednesday. During the talks on Tuesday, Hwang expressed thanks for Colombia's participation in the 1950-53 conflict and explained South Korea's efforts to support Colombian veterans and their descendants, according to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs. The meeting was also

May 26, 2021

Military reports 6 new COVID-19 cases

Five Army members and an Air Force officer tested positive for the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Wednesday. Two Army officers from the same unit in the county of Gapyeong were confirmed to have been infected following their recent vacation, the ministry said, adding 150 base members who came into contact with them tested negative. The other Army officer and two enlisted soldiers also tested positive following their vacation, and the airman contracted the virus after one of his co

May 26, 2021

Military reports 6 new COVID-19 cases

Three Marines and three Army members tested positive for the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Tuesday, the latest in a series of confirmed cases at barracks across the country. The Marines from the same unit in the southeastern city of Pohang were confirmed to have been infected in tests required to exit quarantine. They have been in isolation after their base reported COVID-19 cases earlier, according to the ministry. Two soldiers and an Army officer tested positive following thei

May 25, 2021

Veterans affairs minister in Colombia to express thanks for Korean War participation

The veterans affairs minister is on a visit to Colombia this week to pay tribute to the country's 1950-53 Korean War veterans, his office said Tuesday. Minister Hwang Ki-chul arrived in the Latin American country on Monday (Colombia time) for a three-day visit to strengthen the bilateral friendship and expand cooperation in veterans affairs, according to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs. Later Monday, Hwang visited a rehab center for Korean War veterans and the Navy headquarters w

May 25, 2021

Military prepares to receive new US vaccines

The Ministry of National Defense said Monday that it will consult with health authorities as it prepares to receive new coronavirus jabs from the US to vaccinate 550,000 Korean soldiers. The supply could cover the entire armed forces. The aid comes as part of a comprehensive COVID-19 partnership that President Moon Jae-in and US President Joe Biden reached at their in-person meeting in the US last week. The Korean military, which has yet to find out when it is receiving the vaccines or which

May 24, 2021

Military reaches out to villagers over hosting US missile shield

Senior officials from the Ministry of National Defense met on Monday with villagers protesting the military’s decision to host a US anti-missile system near their homes. It was their first in-person gathering to work out the yearslong disagreement. The government delegation, led by Vice Defense Minister Park Jae-min and municipal leaders, sat down with community members and civic groups in Seongju County, North Gyeongsang Province, which houses the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense syst

May 24, 2021