The inter-Korean working-level military talks broke down after no progress Wednesday, as the two sides failed to narrow their differences over the agenda for the possible high-level meeting, officials at the Ministry of National Defense said.The two Koreas also failed to set a date for another round of the talks, they said.The talks were held for the second consecutive day at the inter-Korean bord

Politics Feb. 9, 2011

Beginning next year, all aspiring commissioned and non-commissioned officers will be required to pass examinations, a measure to secure more competent military personnel, an official at the Ministry of National Defense said Wednesday.The official said that the aspiring officers should go through a comprehensive evaluation process to verify an array of factors including their combat skills, command

Politics Feb. 9, 2011

A joint commissioning ceremony for all Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps cadets will be held to avoid a “leadership vacuum” while top military officers attend what have previously been separate academy events.The Ministry of National Defense will hold the joint ceremony in the Gyeryongdae military headquarters in South Chungcheong Province in early March, officials said Wednesday.It will be t

Defense Feb. 9, 2011

The South Korean military is seeking to add between 1,200 and 2,000 marine troops to its numbers as part of efforts to better defend five northwestern border islands, multiple government sources said Tuesday.The plan to increase the number of marine troops ― which currently stands at around 27,000 ― could lead to the numbers of Army, Navy and Air Force troops also being readjusted, according to th

Politics Feb. 8, 2011

The South Korean military plans to deploy ship-to-surface cruise missiles with a range of more than 500 kilometers this year on 4,500-ton KDX-II class destroyers operating in the West Sea, a military source said Tuesday.The indigenous Cheonryong missile is capable of attacking key strategic ground targets in North Korea, including its military command posts and surface-to-ship missile bases on the

Politics Feb. 8, 2011

Investigators have corroborated charges that a Somali pirate shot the captain of a seized Korean freighter using ballistics evidence, maritime police in Busan said Monday. The evidence includes a bullet removerd from the injured captain and bullet traces on the ship’s wheel house.In addition, the rescued Korean crewmembers of the Samho Jewelry told police that they saw Arai Mahomed shoot the capta

Politics Feb. 7, 2011

Police to announce probe results todayA Somali pirate, suspected of shooting the captain of a Korean freighter during a naval rescue operation last month, has admitted that he was carrying a firearm while holding him hostage, in a reversal of his earlier position, according to maritime police in Busan.Arai Mahomed, one of the five pirates captured during the naval commando raid in the Indian Ocean

Politics Feb. 6, 2011

Seoul remains firm that Pyongyang should first show ‘sincerity’Through its continuing overtures for talks with the South, North Korea apparently seeks to be seen taking the initiative to enhance inter-Korean relations that plunged to new lows over two attacks last year, experts here said Sunday.Other motives behind its recent “peace offensive” include creating a mood conducive to the resumption of

Politics Feb. 6, 2011

The two Koreas have agreed to hold working-level military talks at the South-controlled Peace House in the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjeom on Feb. 8, Seoul’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday.The agreement to talk came after a string of proposals and counterproposals between the two sides. The North made a proposal last Saturday to hold the talks on Tuesday this week, which Seoul rejected, r

Politics Feb. 1, 2011

Defense Ministry says it wants enough time to make preparationsSeoul’s Defense Ministry on Monday rejected North Korea’s proposal to hold working-level military talks at an earlier date, repeating that it wants to hold the meeting Feb. 11 as it originally suggested.In a faxed message sent to the ministry last Saturday, the North suggested holding the preliminary talks Tuesday without elaborating o

Politics Jan. 31, 2011

The Justice Ministry on Friday appointed Han Sang-dae, chief of the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office, to head the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office in a reshuffle that affected six senior prosecutor posts.Park Yong-seok, chief of the Legal Research and Training Institute, was appointed as the vice chief of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office in the reshuffle, which officials said is aimed at re

Politics Jan. 28, 2011