USFK commander nominee says 28,500 American troops in S. Korea are 'essential'

Maintaining 28,500 American troops in South Korea is "essential," the nominee for US Forces Korea commander has said, amid concerns that former President Donald Trump could weigh a USFK troop reduction should he return to the White House. Lt. Gen. Xavier Brunson staked out his position in written answers to lawmakers' questions ahead of his Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday. If confirmed, he would lead the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command, United Nations Command and USF

Sept. 18, 2024

N. Korea launches missiles in latest show of military, nuclear strength

North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles Wednesday in its latest show of force, just days after an unprecedented public release of photos showing its uranium enrichment facilities capable of producing nuclear weapons material. The missile launches came on the heels of last week's launches which marked the end of a more than two-month pause in Pyongyang's missile provocations. The South Korean military detected North Korea launching several short-range ballistic missiles northea

Sept. 18, 2024

Korea removes over 1,300 Chinese-made security cameras from barracks

South Korean military demolished more than 1,300 closed-circuit TV cameras that were installed in frontline barracks, after an inspection revealed that they were Chinese-made, and not domestic devices as previously thought. According to military authorities on Friday, a joint inspection with intelligence agencies in late July over the equipment delivered to the military confirmed that the cameras were made in China and had security issues. The cameras were revealed to be designed to send the cap

Sept. 13, 2024

Why is NK back to firing missiles after monthslong hiatus?

North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea from the Pyongyang area Thursday morning, the South Korean military said, marking its first missile launch since July 1 and breaking a more than two-month lull in missile provocations. The timing -- coinciding with weeklong Russia-China military exercises, just one day after the US presidential debate, and as North Korea shifts its focus from flood recovery back to weapons development -- signals what analysts view as a c

Sept. 12, 2024

Defense chief discusses cooperation with counterparts from 7 nations, NATO

Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun held bilateral talks with his counterparts from seven nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on Wednesday to discuss the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, and ways to broaden defense and arms industry cooperation, his office said. Kim held back-to-back meetings with the defense ministers of Cameroon, Canada, Finland, Malaysia and Mongolia, as well as Japan's state minister of defense, the chair of the NATO Military Committee and the minis

Sept. 11, 2024

Seoul summit charts framework on responsible AI military use

A comprehensive framework establishing guidelines and principles for the ethical and regulated use of artificial intelligence in military operations spanning nuclear weapons systems, endorsed by 61 countries, was adopted at a high-stakes summit in Seoul. The two-day 2024 summit on Responsible AI in the Military Domain or REAIM concluded Tuesday with the adoption of a "Blueprint for Action," drawing 1,952 participants from 96 countries, including 38 ministerial-level officials, accordin

Sept. 10, 2024

NK sends over 1,000 trash balloons to S. Korea in last 5 days

North Korea sent more than 1,000 trash-carrying balloons toward South Korea over five consecutive days, resuming its launch of trash balloons following a monthlong hiatus, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Sunday. The JCS said that North Korea resumed its balloon launches at around 9 a.m. Sunday morning, just hours after it had sent around 200 trash-filled balloons toward South Korea late Saturday. “Around 50 trash balloons were confirmed to have landed in Seoul and the northern

Sept. 8, 2024

Military deploying anti-drone system to counter N. Korean drone threats

The defense ministry said Friday the military has been deploying an integrated anti-drone system in multiple locations across the country to counter threats posed by unmanned aerial vehicles from North Korea. The move comes as South Korea has pushed to bolster its drone response capabilities after five North Korean drones crossed the border in December 2022, with one of them entering Seoul. The military failed to intercept any of them, raising questions over its readiness. "The anti-drone i

Sept. 6, 2024

S. Korea announces 'offensive cyber defense' strategy

The South Korean presidential office on Sunday unveiled a comprehensive cybersecurity plan with 100 actionable tasks, including measures for enhanced "offensive cyber defense" strategies to proactively counter and neutralize those with intentions of spreading fake information such as deepfakes in cyberspace. The presidential Office of National Security announced the "National Cybersecurity Basic Plan," a collaborative effort developed by 14 government ministries and organizat

Sept. 1, 2024

S. Korea, US to hold high-level talks on N. Korea deterrence next week

South Korea and the United States will hold vice-ministerial talks in Washington next week on deterrence efforts against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday. The fifth meeting of the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group will take place Wednesday (local time), with a focus on assessing the progress on the allies' efforts to deter North Korea's military threats, the ministry said in a release. The talks will also addres

Aug. 31, 2024

Military prosecutors indict intel official over leaking 'black agent' info

The defense ministry's prosecutors' office on Tuesday indicted a military intelligence official for allegedly leaking information of South Korean espionage agents operating overseas. The official at the Korea Defense Intelligence Command, whose identity is withheld, was arrested earlier this month on allegations of handing over personal information of "black agents" to a Chinese national of Korean descent, who is possibly an informant for North Korea's intelligence agenc

Aug. 27, 2024

S. Korea, US to hold 7th round of talks on defense cost sharing this week

South Korea and the United States will hold their seventh round of negotiations in Seoul this week to determine Seoul's share of the cost for stationing the US Forces Korea, officials said Monday. The talks are set to take place from Tuesday through Thursday, led by the chief negotiators — Lee Tae-woo of South Korea and Linda Specht representing the United States — as the allies work to renew the current six-year deal, which will expire at the end of next year. Under the Special

Aug. 26, 2024

Yoon says N. Korea will face 'end of regime' if it invades South

President Yoon Suk Yeol warned Wednesday that North Korea would face the end of its regime should it attempt to invade South Korea, while inspecting an annual joint exercise with the United States. Yoon made the remark during his visit to the Ground Operations Command in Yongin, south of Seoul, where he received briefings on the Ulchi Freedom Shield. The joint military exercise began Monday for an 11-day run. "The North Korean regime is the most irrational group on Earth that can stage prov

Aug. 21, 2024

Defense minister nominee says ‘options open’ on Seoul getting nukes

President Yoon Suk Yeol’s defense minister nominee Kim Yong-hyun on Friday said “all options are open” on the possibility of arming South Korea with its own nuclear weapons to keep North Korea in check. He was responding to a press question asking his personal views on South Korea acquiring nuclear weapons on the first day of his work at the Army Club in Seoul’s central Yongsan as nominee. “Under the Yoon administration, our alliance with the US has been elevated to

Aug. 16, 2024

South Korea’s 1st spy satellite fit for combat

South Korea’s first military reconnaissance satellite has been declared fit for combat and is to be tasked with full-scale missions within this month, according to the country’s arms procurement agency on Wednesday. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration said on the same day the spy satellite -- a key surveillance and reconnaissance asset of the country’s “kill chain” -- was deemed to be suitable for combat by the Ministry of National Defense. The ministry c

Aug. 14, 2024

Seoul to hold drill simulating North Korean nuclear attack

South Korea will stage the first government-wide drill against North Korean nuclear attack scenarios as part of Ulchi Freedom Shield, an annual joint and combined exercise with the United States. The UFS this year is set to take place from Aug. 19 to 29, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff and the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command on Monday. The South Korean JCS said alongside the military exercises, the government will hold a first-ever drill training officials and staff

Aug. 12, 2024

S. Korea, US to begin key summertime military exercise next week

South Korea and the United States will begin a major combined military exercise next week to strengthen their joint defense readiness in the face of evolving North Korean military threats, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday. The annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise is set to take place from Aug. 19-29, featuring the main computer simulation-based command post exercise, concurrent field training and civil defense drills. The move comes amid heightened cross-border tensions due to Pyongyang

Aug. 12, 2024

S. Korea, US to hold 6th round of defense cost-sharing talks in Washington next week

South Korea and the United States will hold their sixth round of negotiations in Washington next week to determine Seoul's share of the cost for stationing the 28,500-strong US Forces Korea (USFK), the chief US negotiator said Friday. Linda Specht, US lead negotiator for security agreements at the State Department, released a statement on the plan to hold the negotiations in the US capital from Monday through Wednesday. South Korea's delegation is led by Lee Tae-woo, a senior diploma

Aug. 10, 2024

Military intelligence official referred to prosecution over alleged leak of 'black agents' info

A military intelligence official has been referred to the prosecution for allegedly leaking information of South Korean espionage agents operating overseas, the defense ministry said Thursday. "The Defense Counterintelligence Command has referred the civilian official at the Korea Defense Intelligence Command to the military prosecution on charges of violating the Military Secret Protection Act ... as well as espionage charges," the defense ministry said in a statement. The official, w

Aug. 8, 2024

Senior military officers wary of conscripts’ cellphone use: ministry

South Korean military officers have voiced caution over permitting new conscripts cellphones over security concerns, according to the Ministry of National Defense on Wednesday. The ministry surveyed officers as a new policy taking effect in September is set to allow soldiers’ use of cellphones more widely. In the survey released by the Defense Ministry, one officer said letting soldiers use cellphones has led to “disruptions in training while violations continue to occur.” &ldq

Aug. 7, 2024