Govt. to lift development restrictions on military installation protection zones

The government will lift restrictions on development in some 100 million square meters of land near military installations, the defense ministry said Thursday. The combined area to be lifted Tuesday is roughly 35 times larger than the size of the financial district of Yeouido in Seoul. It also marks a 31 percent increase from 77 million square meters of land that were freed from restrictions last year, according to the ministry. Under the Protection of Military Bases and Installations Act, dev

Jan. 14, 2021

S. Korea plans underwater test of indigenous SLBM: source

South Korea is expected to carry out underwater tests of a home-grown submarine-launched ballistic missile this year, having concluded ground tests, a source said Wednesday. South Korea is developing an SLBM based on the home-grown ground-to-ground Hyunmoo-2B ballistic missile with a flight range of around 500 kilometers. It will be used with envisioned 3,000-ton-class or larger submarines, according to defense officials. "Related agencies wrapped up ejection tests of the missile on the

Jan. 13, 2021

USFK maintains 3rd-highest antivirus scheme across S. Korea

US Forces Korea decided Tuesday to maintain its antivirus alert at the current level for all areas of South Korea amid the continued spread of the virus in the country. In early December, USFK enforced the Health Protection Condition (HPCON) Charlie, or HPCON C, the third-highest warning level in its five-tier system and extended the scheme twice to Jan. 12. "Based on the continued high numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Korea, USFK will remain in HPCON Charlie and will make an

Jan. 12, 2021

American soldier in S. Korea dies in car accident during training

An American service member stationed in South Korea died earlier this week in a car accident during a military training, the US military said Friday. Staff Sgt. James Wento, 34, was pronounced dead at the scene Tuesday, as the military vehicle he was driving overturned during the training event of his unit at the Rodriguez Live Fire Complex in Pocheon, northeast of Seoul, according to the 2nd Infantry Division. "The circumstances surrounding the accident are under investigation," the

Jan. 8, 2021

USFK reports one more COVID-19 case

A civilian worker for the US Forces Korea (USFK) has tested positive for the new coronavirus, the US military said Friday. The contractor, who works at USFK's Yongsan Garrison in central Seoul, was confirmed to have been infected the previous day and is now in isolation at his residence in Seoul before being transported to a facility designated for COVID-19 patients at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, according to USFK. He last visited the Yongsan base on Dec. 31, it added. "KDCA and USFK h

Jan. 8, 2021

Defense chiefs of S. Korea, Britain discuss ways to boost bilateral cooperation

Defense Minister Suh Wook held phone talks with his British counterpart Ben Wallace on Wednesday to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation and exchanges, the defense ministry said. Suh congratulated Britain on its recent agreement with the European Union for cooperation in future relations, the ministry said in a press release. Suh added that Seoul hopes to continue bilateral cooperation even after Brexit, pointing out that Britain participated in the 1950-53 Korean War and maintain

Jan. 6, 2021

US civilian employee at Yongsan base tests positive for virus

A US Department of Defense employee working in Seoul has tested positive for the new coronavirus, the US Forces Korea (USFK) said Wednesday. The employee who works at US Army Garrison Yongsan in central Seoul was confirmed to have contracted the virus Tuesday, according to the US military. He last visited the base last Wednesday and is currently at a facility designated for COVID-19 patients at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, some 70 kilometers south of Seoul. The employee has been staying at h

Jan. 6, 2021

S. Korea, US conduct combined air exercise amid coronavirus

South Korea and the United States conducted their wintertime combined exercise last month amid concerns over the new coronavirus pandemic, a military source said Wednesday. The allies held a scaled-back version of their original wintertime drills, codenamed Vigilant Ace, from Dec. 7-11, involving fighters, such as F-15K and KF-16 jets from South Korea and F-16s from the US, according to the source. The annual Vigilant Ace exercise was replaced with a smaller training starting in 2018 to suppor

Jan. 6, 2021

23 new virus cases reported in USFK, total exceeds 500

Seventeen American service members and six others affiliated with the US Forces Korea (USFK) tested positive for the new coronavirus upon arrival in South Korea from the United States, the US military said Monday. The latest cases among the USFK-affiliated population rose to 509, most of whom have tested positive upon arrival in South Korea from the US. Of the newly reported cases, eight service members and one dependent arrived at Osan Air Base in the city of Pyeongtaek, some 70 kilometers so

Jan. 4, 2021

[Newsmaker] S. Korea in talks with US to cover wages of Korean workers at USFK: official

South Korea is in talks with the United States to cover the wages of Korean employees at the US Forces Korea (USFK), an official said Monday, in an apparent move to avoid another furlough amid the stalled defense cost-sharing negotiations. The prolonged deadlock in the talks determining Seoul's share of the costs to keep American troops here potentially puts thousands of Korean workers at USFK at risk of being forced to take unpaid leave again this year. About 4,000 of them were furloughed for

Jan. 4, 2021

Defense ministry extends restrictions on troop vacations over pandemic

The defense ministry said Monday it has extended a toughened social distancing scheme for two weeks, banning troops from vacationing and taking off-installation trips, to stem the spread of the new coronavirus. Since November, the ministry has enforced Level 2.5 social distancing rules, the second highest in its five-tier alert system, following a series of COVID-19 cluster infections at barracks across the country. "We've decided to extend the Level 2.5 scheme for all units from today u

Jan. 4, 2021

Navy chief calls for securing light aircraft carrier to boost capabilities

The chief of South Korea's Navy has vowed to make every effort to secure a light aircraft carrier and diverse military assets to boost defense capabilities. The Navy has sought to build a 30,000-ton-class light aircraft carrier, and the military authorities finalized a plan last week to push for the project in earnest starting this year. "We should expedite moves to secure diverse future military assets, including a light aircraft carrier, in a timely manner to be fully prepared for futur

Jan. 4, 2021

Moon inspects combat readiness on Peace Eye aircraft

President Moon Jae-in flew on a Peace Eye military aircraft early Friday and inspected South Korea's combat readiness in a show of commitment to national defense on New Year's Day, the presidential office said. It is the first time that a South Korean president has flown on the airborne early warning and control aircraft regarded as a core part of the South Korean Air Force, according to Cheong Wa Dae. The E-737 Peace Eye took off with Moon aboard at around 6:30 a.m. from the military airfield

Jan. 1, 2021

USFK-affiliated S. Korean civilians, troops begin getting COVID-19 vaccinations

South Korean civilian workers and troops affiliated with the US Forces Korea (USFK) began getting COVID-19 vaccinations Thursday, the US military said, becoming the country's first citizens to get inoculated against the virus. The first shipment of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for USFK members arrived in South Korea last week, and the command began administering its initial doses to front-line health care workers, first responders and its command team. Korean nationals affiliated with USFK, in

Dec. 31, 2020

[Newsmaker] S. Korea decides to allow troops, citizens working for USFK to get COVID-19 vaccinations

The defense ministry decided Wednesday to allow South Korean soldiers and civilian workers affiliated with the US Forces Korea (USFK) to get COVID-19 vaccinations with doses shipped from the US for its service members stationed here, officials said. The South Korean troops affiliated with the Korean Augmentation to the US Army, known as KATUSA, as well as civilians working for USFK, are eligible for the inoculation according to the US government's vaccination plan, and USFK and Seoul's def

Dec. 30, 2020

Military finalizes requirement plan for light aircraft carrier

The military decided Wednesday to push for a project to acquire a light aircraft carrier in earnest in an effort to boost its defense capabilities, officials said, despite controversy over its effectiveness. During the closed-door meeting presided over by Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Won In-choul, military leaders also discussed the need to introduce vertical landing jets, according to the officials. The Navy has sought to build a 3,000 ton-class light aircraft carrier, stressing

Dec. 30, 2020

[Graphic News] S. Korea ranks 10th in world arms exports: report

　South Korea was the 10th-largest arms exporter in the 2015-2019 period, accounting for 2.1 percent of the world's total defense exports, an annual government report showed. 　According to the Global Defense Market Yearbook 2020 published by the Defense Agency for Technology and Quality, Britain, Iraq and Indonesia were the main buyers of South Korea’s defense products during the period. 　South Korea ranked 11th in last year's report. 　The United States remained the top arms exporte

Dec. 30, 2020

Military to add variety to menus at barracks next year

Service members will be able to enjoy new menu items and diverse foods, such as hamburgers from famous burger chains and salmon, at barracks next year. According to the defense ministry's new guidelines on military meals for 2021, two dozen new menu items will be added to a list of foods served, which ranges from chicken gangjeong, or sweet and sour fried chicken, and hamburg steaks to mullet fish and celery. Service members can also enjoy a hamburger from burger chains once a month, the minis

Dec. 29, 2020

Coronavirus cases in military reach 500 as 4 new patients reported

Two Army officers, one soldier and a civilian worker for the Navy tested positive for the new coronavirus, bringing the total number of patients among military members to 500, the defense ministry said Tuesday. One of the two officers in the central city of Gyeryong, where the Army headquarters are located, was confirmed to have been infected, and the other officer at the same unit also tested positive, according to the ministry. Around 160 members of the unit underwent virus tests, and no add

Dec. 29, 2020

USFK begins initial COVID-19 vaccinations

US Forces Korea (USFK) began administering its initial doses of a COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday to health care workers, first responders, and its command team, including Gen. Robert Abrams, officials said.The first shipment of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine arrived in South Korea on Friday and had been in cold storage at Camp Carroll in the southeastern county of Chilgok before being distributed to USFK's three military treatment facilities Monday, according to the US military. The three locations adm

Dec. 29, 2020