President Moon Jae-in on Thursday instructed the military to dispatch medical staff and supplies to forces abroad with members who have tested positive for the coronavirus and to take stronger steps to avoid infections in overseas missions. Moon asked the military to bring home the patients if necessary. Six service members aboard the anti-piracy Cheonghae Unit operating off the coast of Africa have tested positive for the coronavirus, the military said. None of the 301-strong crew aboard th

Defense July 15, 2021

South Korea is suspending training for its reserve forces for a second consecutive year, as the fourth wave of COVID-19 threatens to spiral out of control. The US provided Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine for South Korean troops and military workers, but the supply fell short of covering key demographic groups -- those aged between 20 and 30, who account for the majority of the reserve forces. “Those aged 30 and below will receive their shots in August at the earliest,

Defense July 14, 2021

The military failed in its response to a sexual assault complaint from an Air Force master sergeant, who later took her life, the Ministry of National Defense said Friday in its interim report. The ministry’s joint investigation team said that the master sergeant was repeatedly revictimized by the abuser and those sympathetic to him, which ultimately pushed her to take her life. The team has been looking into the circumstances surrounding the suicide since June 1. The victim&rs

Defense July 9, 2021

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea is desperately seeking to carry on President Moon Jae-in’s legacy and revitalize inter-Korean ties, but with North Korea still unwilling to engage, its last-minute attempt at diplomacy stands little chance, critics say. Recently, the party has said it will seek parliamentary approval of the 2018 Panmunjom Declaration -- the first of Moon’s two peace deals with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un -- to rekindle talks. At the 2018 summits, Moon and Kim

Politics July 7, 2021

PYEONGTAEK, Gyeonggi Province -- Gen. Paul LaCamera, the new US military chief in South Korea, said he is looking to work with Seoul as one team and take the Seoul-Washington alliance to new heights in his first public address after taking office on Friday. The change of command ceremony -- which took place at Camp Humphreys, the US military headquarters in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province -- comes as the two allies seek to resolve disputes involving South Korea’s plan to retake wa

Defense July 2, 2021

North Korea hacked key South Korean defense firms, including Korea Aerospace Industries, which is building the country’s first homegrown fighter jet, Rep. Ha Tae-keung of the main opposition People Power Party said Thursday. “The arms procurement agency essentially said that there had been cyberattacks on more defense companies,” he said, adding the agency had told him it could not reveal the names of companies breached because of privacy concerns. The previous day, the lawm

Defense July 1, 2021

Conspiracy theories over the 2010 sinking of the warship Cheonan still hold sway over many South Koreans because Seoul bungled the initial probe, the ship’s former captain says. A joint investigation by South Korea, the US, the UK, Australia and Sweden in May 2010, two months after the sinking, found that the North attacked the South’s corvette, leaving 46 seamen dead. North Korea has denied any involvement. Some in South Korea believe there could be another explanation. “Th

Defense June 30, 2021

The Ministry of National Defense said Monday a three-star Air Force general overseeing strategy planning at the Joint Chiefs of Staff was tapped to head the Air Force, which has recently been rocked by sexual abuse allegations in which the victim died by suicide, prompting the previous chief to step down on June 4. Lt. Gen. Park In-ho will assume the command on Tuesday, when President Moon will make his appointment official after a Cabinet meeting. Park, an expert on military policy, was the

Defense June 28, 2021

SEONGNAM, Gyeonggi Province – On Monday, the family of the Air Force master sergeant who took her life after claiming she had been sexually assaulted by a colleague called on the National Assembly to take over the sex crime investigation from the Ministry of National Defense. The family, who believes the Air Force neglected to carry out an exhaustive investigation when she filed a complaint on March 2, the day of the incident, said they were still skeptical of a thorough probe by the Defe

Defense June 28, 2021

Military police did little in response to a sexual assault complaint from an Air Force master sergeant who later took her life, the Criminal Investigation Command said Wednesday. The victim’s family believes the military police neglected to carry out a thorough investigation when she filed the complaint at her base March 2, when it happened. She was found dead May 22. “Police initially found the perpetrator, Jang, who texted her twice after the incident, which they thought was an

Defense June 23, 2021

As South Korea mulls reducing or skipping joint military drills with the US in August, experts warn that suspending the biannual exercises would do little to bring about a lasting detente with North Korea. Seoul and Washington have held the drills since the 1953 Korean War armistice to ensure readiness against Pyongyang’s aggression. But since 2019, some drills have been skipped while others were scaled down because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This time, the Moon Jae-in government wants to

Defense June 22, 2021

MADRID/SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in said Wednesday that he believes an 18th-century map he was shown by Spain’s Senate library demonstrates Dokdo has always been a part of Korea, Cheong Wa Dae said. Moon, who flew to Spain after a summit in Austria, is wrapping up his three-day state visit Thursday. He began his Europe trip last week with the G-7 summit in England. The map, which was produced in 1737 and is believed to be the oldest one drawn by a European, shows the Dokdo islets as p

Politics June 17, 2021

The military is facing the biggest change in its justice system in years, with lawmakers pushing for reforms that could remove the military judiciary and commanders from the process of handling sex crimes. An Air Force master sergeant who took her life in late May after being sexually assaulted by a superior sparked public outrage, prompting lawmakers to seek changes in how the military handles sexual violence. The victim’s family believes a systematic cover-up led to her death. The cas

Defense June 16, 2021

An interim report on the suicide of an Air Force master sergeant who took her life after being sexually assaulted is coming out as early as next week, a senior official at the Ministry of National Defense said Tuesday. The master sergeant died by suicide in late May after a complaint she filed in early March went unanswered. The Defense Ministry is leading a full investigation into her death and the alleged cover-ups. “Given everything going on, we could release an interim report on th

Defense June 15, 2021

President Moon Jae-in is set to leave for the UK on Friday to attend the three-day G-7 summit in Cornwall. The meeting, which runs on June 11-13, will discuss coronavirus vaccines, economic recovery and climate change. South Korea is one of four countries, along with Australia, India and South Africa, invited to join this year’s meeting. India is taking part in the event virtually. On the sidelines of the meeting, Moon will hold bilateral summits with the UK, Australia and the EU. It

Politics June 11, 2021