A group of four unidentified North Koreans crossed the inter-Korean maritime border in the East Sea on Tuesday, government sources confirmed to The Korea Herald. The South Korean military, in cooperation with the Coast Guard, has secured the four North Koreans in the waters off the city of Sokcho, Gangwon Province. The four North Koreans traveled across the border on a boat and were discovered by South Korea's Coast Guard. The four North Koreans were transferred to a Korean vessel, which wa

North Korea Oct. 24, 2023

South Korea, the United States and Japan joined forces for an unprecedented aerial exercise south of the Korean Peninsula on Sunday, with the goal of bolstering their collective response capabilities against escalating missile and nuclear threats from North Korea. The US Air Force's nuclear-capable B-52 heavy bomber -- which boasts the capability to carry both nuclear and precision-guided conventional munitions with worldwide precision navigation --- conducted a formation flight while under

Defense Oct. 22, 2023

By Ji Da-gyum and Joint Press Corps CHEONGJU AIR BASE, North Chungcheong Province — The United States Air Force's nuclear-capable B-52 strategic bomber on Tuesday made its first-ever landing at a South Korean air base. The touchdown of the long-range heavy bomber underscores the US' unwavering commitment to the defense of its treaty ally, amid escalating missile and nuclear threats posed by North Korea, according to the US Air Force. "It is part of our demonstration to the R

Defense Oct. 19, 2023

South Korea's vice defense chief called for immediate international cooperation to curb North Korea's nuclear weapon development, emphasizing that insufficient efforts could lead to a catastrophic outcome. "North Korea's nuclear capabilities are rapidly advancing, and without immediate efforts from the international community to prevent it, this has the potential to turn into a catastrophe for the international community," Vice Defense Minister Shin Beom-chul said Wednes

Defense Oct. 18, 2023

The South Korean military has assessed that the fighting doctrine and tactics utilized by Hamas might be linked to North Korea, citing their resemblance in its analysis of the battlefield tactics employed by the Palestinian militant group during last weekend's attack on Israel. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff on Tuesday presented its interim evaluation of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, which was initiated by Hamas' surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7. "Our asse

Defense Oct. 17, 2023

SEONGNAM, Gyeonggi Province — South Korea's premier aerospace and defense exhibition, aimed at showcasing the country's indigenously developed weaponry and military prowess, including the first public flight of the homegrown KF-21 fighter jet, is set to commence on Tuesday in its largest-scale edition yet. The Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Industry Exhibition this year will showcase the US Air Force's nuclear-capable strategic bomber B-52H and the world's mo

Defense Oct. 16, 2023

A South Korean military aircraft is en route to safely bring 163 nationals back home from Israel amid continuing battles between Israel and Hamas, Seoul said Saturday. The South Korean Air Force's KC-330 Cygnus transport aircraft is scheduled to touch down at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, on Saturday evening, as part of its mission to evacuate South Korean citizens stranded in Israel, according to the joint announcement by the Foreign Ministry and the Defense Ministry. Recognizi

Foreign Affairs Oct. 14, 2023

North Korea on Friday denied the allegations that the Palestinian militant group Hamas used weapons produced by the country for an unprecedented attack on Israel. North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency, primarily targeting international audiences, published an article on the war titled "The current crisis in the Middle East portends a greater strategic setback for the United States." The statement, authored by Ri Kwang-song, a commentator on international affairs, notably a

North Korea Oct. 13, 2023

South Korea's Unification Ministry on Friday officially confirmed China has resumed the forced repatriation of North Koreans following the opening of its border last month. The ministry called for an immediate halt to this practice, which breaches international human rights law. "It appears to be the fact that a significant number of North Koreans have been repatriated from three provinces in Northeast China," Koo Byung-sam, the Unification Ministry spokesperson, said during a tel

North Korea Oct. 13, 2023

The South Korean military is preparing for a scenario in which North Korea launches surprise attacks employing tactics similar to those recently used by the Hamas militant group in executing multifront ambushes against Israel. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff underscored the significance of learning a lesson from Hamas' lightning-quick, multipronged assault on Israel on Saturday and fortifying military readiness during the National Assembly's annual audit on Tuesday. Seoul'

Defense Oct. 11, 2023

A surprise and large-scale attack on Israel by Palestinian militant group Hamas has intensified security concerns in South Korea, underscoring the pressing need for the country to fortify its military readiness in countering a potential blitz from North Korea including artillery attacks targeting densely populated metropolitan areas. The newly appointed Defense Minister Shin Won-sik publicly underscored on Tuesday that Hamas' surprise assault from the Gaza Strip has illuminated the necessit

Newsmaker Oct. 10, 2023

South Korea's Defense Ministry on Wednesday issued a stern warning against North Korea that any attempts to use nuclear weapons against South Korea would result in the downfall of the Kim Jong-un regime. Seoul's warning came a week after Pyongyang's decision to incorporate its policy of bolstering its nuclear capabilities into its constitution. The decision was made during a two-day meeting of the Supreme People's Assembly, the North's rubber-stamp parliament, which was

North Korea Oct. 4, 2023

South Korea's whiskey imports surged by 40 percent year-on-year through August, signaling the potential for record-breaking annual inbound whiskey shipments this year. Whiskey product imports totaled 22,799 tons in volume from January to August this year, marking a significant increase from 16,267 tons recorded during the same period in 2022, according to data from the Korea Customs Service. If the current import trend continues, this year's volume is likely to surpass the 2002 record

Industry Sept. 29, 2023

Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung on Friday publicly proposed one-on-one talks with President Yoon Suk Yeol amid intensifying feuds between the political rivals. The proposal from the chairman of South Korea's main opposition Democratic Party comes just two days after he narrowly averted a crisis in his political career, with the court dismissing an arrest warrant request related to corruption charges filed against him. With the arrest reprieve that bolstered the DP’s counterattack, the poli

Politics Sept. 29, 2023

North Korea's advancements in nuclear and missile capabilities have enabled the country to deploy its nuclear weapons "at any stage of conflict," the US Defense Department said in a new defense strategy revealed Thursday. The Strategy for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction has been updated for the first time since 2014. This update reflects the current and emerging challenges and threats associated with WMD, including the trend of actors that pose a threat to the US. The Penta

North Korea Sept. 29, 2023