Most Popular
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[AtoZ into Korean mind] Humor in Korea: Navigating the line between what's funny and not
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[Exclusive] Korean military set to ban iPhones over 'security' concerns
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Yoon seeks rebound, taps 5-term lawmaker as chief of staff
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Medical standoff deepens as doctors reject new med school plan, talks
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Korean, Romanian leaders discuss defense tech, nuclear energy
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[Graphic News] 77% of young Koreans still financially dependent
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[Herald Interview] Why Toss invited hackers to penetrate its system
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S. Korean envoys convene to navigate strategy amid Middle East tensions
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North Korea fires several short-range ballistic missiles into sea: JCS
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Samsung, SK hynix investors dump shares on Nvidia crash
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Esper refuses to speculate on US troops reduction in S. Korea
WASHINGTON -- US Defense Secretary Mark Esper refused to speculate when asked Tuesday whether the US would consider reducing troops in South Korea short of a deal on defense cost-sharing.Esper was asked the question during a briefing with reporters near Manila, the Philippines, after the US walked out of defense cost-sharing negotiations with South Korea in Seoul.The US is reportedly seeking an increase of Seoul's contribution to $5 billion from the current $870 million for this year to support
Nov. 20, 2019
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South Korea-US defense cost-sharing talks fall through
Differences between South Korea and the United States over how much Seoul should pay for the upkeep of the 28,500 US troops stationed here have come to the fore, with the two sides cutting short their meeting Tuesday. “There was a considerable difference between proposals of the US and the South in principle,” Jeong Eun-bo, South Korea’s top negotiator, said at a regular briefing. The US negotiation team, led by James DeHart of the State Department, left the negotiating table e
Nov. 19, 2019
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North Korea should refrain from raising tension on the peninsula: defense minister
North Korea should cease escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula since Seoul and Washington have postponed their planned joint aerial drill, South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo said Monday, according to the pre-distributed address to a regional defense ministers’ conference.Attending the sixth Association of Southeast Asian Nations Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus, Jeong also said working-level talks between the US and North Korea and the third summit between the leader
Nov. 18, 2019
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S. Korean, Chinese defense chiefs agree to boost strategic communications
BANGKOK -- The defense ministers of South Korea and China held bilateral talks in Bangkok on Sunday and agreed to boost their defense relations for regional peace and stability, Seoul‘s defense ministry said. During the meeting, Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and his Chinese counterpart, Wei Fenghe, exchanged their assessments of regional security situations, commending each government’s efforts for the denuclearization of and the establishment of a lasting peace on the Kore
Nov. 17, 2019
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Korean, Japanese defense ministers reconfirm differences on GSOMIA
The defense ministers of South Korea, Japan and the United States met Sunday to discuss their differences regarding the intelligence-sharing pact between Seoul and Tokyo, amid concerns that the ongoing row might weaken the trilateral security alliance.Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and his Japanese counterpart, Taro Kono, held bilateral talks and met with their US counterpart in a separate trilateral meeting, both of which took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meet
Nov. 17, 2019
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S. Korea, US decide to postpone upcoming joint air exercises for diplomacy
South Korea and the United States decided to put off their wintertime combined air exercises to support diplomacy with North Korea, the two sides said Sunday, with US Defense Secretary Mark Esper urging Pyongyang to reciprocate the goodwill by returning to nuclear talks.Esper and South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo announced the surprise decision during an impromptu joint press conference in Bangkok on the sidelines of a regional defense ministers' meeting led by the Association of So
Nov. 17, 2019
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S. Korean, Japanese defense chiefs to hold talks ahead of GSOMIA expiry
The defense chiefs of South Korea and Japan will meet bilaterally in Thailand next week just days before the planned expiry of their intelligence-sharing pact, Seoul officials said Saturday.Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo is scheduled to hold talks with his Japanese counterpart, Taro Kono, on Sunday, in the Thai capital of Bangkok on the sidelines of the 6th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), the officials well-versed in the issue said.
Nov. 16, 2019
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Esper says US will seek Japan's efforts to resolve GSOMIA issue: Cheong Wa Dae
US Defense Secretary Mark Esper told South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday he will try to persuade Japan to "smoothly" resolve the dispute over the two neighbors' military information-sharing arrangement, according to the presidential office.During a 50-minute meeting with Esper at Cheong Wa Dae, Moon explained his government's basic position that it's "difficult to share military information" with Japan, which has imposed export restrictions against South Korea for a
Nov. 15, 2019
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Wealthy South Korea should pay more for keeping US troops: Esper
US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Friday that South Korea should pay more for the defense the US provides as it is a wealthy country, amid ongoing talks on a bilateral military cost-sharing deal. Esper traveled to Seoul to hold an annual Security Consultative Meeting with South Korea’s Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo. “South Korea is a wealthy country and could and should pay more to help offset the cost of defense,” Esper said in a press conference following the meeting.
Nov. 15, 2019
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S. Korea, US hold annual defense ministers' talks
South Korea and the United States held annual defense ministers' talks in Seoul on Friday as the allies face tricky issues such as a soon-to-expire intelligence-sharing pact between Seoul and Tokyo and defense cost-sharing negotiations. Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper held the 51st Security Consultative Meeting for "in-depth discussions on various pending security issues," the defense ministry said.Details of their discussions were not immediate
Nov. 15, 2019
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South Korea, US top military commanders discuss GSOMIA, OPCON transfer
The top military commanders of South Korea and the United States discussed the allies’ military readiness and the security situation on the Korean Peninsula at the 44th Military Committee Meeting in Seoul on Thursday.South Korea’s Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Park Han-ki and his US counterpart Gen. Mark Milley were joined by some 20 officials from South Korea and 17 officials from the US, including US Indo-Pacific Command Commander Adm. Philip Davidson and US-ROK Combin
Nov. 14, 2019
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Seoul says militaries support diplomatic efforts as Esper hints at altering joint military drills
The Defense Ministry said Thursday the military authorities of Seoul and Washington support the diplomatic efforts for the denuclearization of North Korea, while the US defense chief hinted at the possibility of adjusting the scope of joint military drills.On the plane to Seoul to attend Friday’s Security Consultative Meeting, US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said Wednesday he is open to adjusting the combined military exercises with South Korea if it can provide room for diplomacy with
Nov. 14, 2019
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Esper: US could alter military drills to boost N. Korea talks
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Wednesday that he is open to the possibility of altering American military activities in South Korea if it would help advance a diplomatic deal with North Korea to eliminate its nuclear program.In an interview with reporters flying with him to Seoul, Esper said any changes in military exercises or training would be done in ways that did not jeopardize troops' combat preparedness. And he said they would be done in consultation with the South Ko
Nov. 14, 2019
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GSOMIA to be discussed at top Korea-US commanders’ meeting
The top military commanders of South Korea and the US will meet in Seoul on Thursday to discuss the allies’ military readiness and the security situation on the Korean Peninsula at the 44th Military Committee MeetingThe agenda for the meeting is likely to include issues surrounding Seoul’s General Security of Military Information Agreement with Tokyo, and the ongoing defense cost-sharing negotiations. Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley arrived in Seoul on
Nov. 13, 2019
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Terminating GSOMIA may send ‘wrong’ message to adversaries: Abrams
PYEONGTAEK, Gyeonggi Province -- By terminating its bilateral intelligence-sharing agreement with Japan, South Korea risks sending the wrong message -- that the trilateral alliance of South Korea, the US and Japan is weak -- Gen. Robert Abrams, commander of the US-ROK Combined Forces Command, said Tuesday.Marking his first year in office, Abrams, who also commands United States Forces Korea and the United Nations Command, spoke on a series of current issues, including the ongoing defense cost-sh
Nov. 13, 2019
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S. Korea launches new naval frigate on 74th anniversary of Navy foundation
South Korea launched a new frigate on Monday featuring advanced sonar and power systems to boost anti-submarine capabilities in coastal operations, the Navy said.The launch ceremony for the 2,800-ton FGG-II Seoul took place at Hyundai Heavy Industries Co.'s shipyard in the southeastern port city of Ulsan, according to the Navy. It is the third frigate to be built under the project to secure a second batch of such vessels to replace the Navy's aging frigates and patrol combat corvettes. The
Nov. 11, 2019
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Former US commanders of combined command to discuss future of alliance
Former commanders and deputy commanders of the ROK-US Combined Forces Command will gather to discuss the future of the alliance this week, forum organizers said Monday.The Korea-US Alliance Foundation said it will host the first Former Combined Forces Command CDR-DCDR Forum at Millennium Hilton Seoul on Wednesday. The theme will be the Republic of Korea-US alliance.Four former US commanders -- John Tilelli, Walter Sharp, James Thurman and Curtis Scaparrotti -- and four former deputy commanders -
Nov. 11, 2019
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S. Korea not considering delaying GSOMIA termination: defense ministry
South Korea is not considering postponing the termination of the soon-to-expire military intelligence-sharing pact with Japan, the defense ministry said Monday.The General Security of Military Information Agreement between South Korea and Japan is to expire on Nov. 23, following Seoul's decision in August to end it after Japan announced export curbs on Seoul, citing security concerns.As the deadline draws near, some media have speculated that South Korea is considering an option to put off its t
Nov. 11, 2019
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FM sees point in claims GSOMIA termination could benefit NK, China
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said Friday she sees a point in claims that the possible termination of a military intelligence-sharing pact between South Korea and Japan could benefit North Korea and China.Kang made the remarks as the General Security of Military Information Agreement is set to expire on Nov. 23 unless Seoul retracts its decision to end the agreement seen as a symbolic framework to foster the US' trilateral security cooperation with its two Asian allies. "I think we can ma
Nov. 8, 2019
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South Korea, US to hold annual defense talks in Seoul next week
South Korea and the United States will hold their annual defense ministers’ talks in Seoul next week to reaffirm their alliance and discuss issues including the transfer of wartime operational control, the Ministry of National Defense said Friday. Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and his US counterpart Mark Esper will attend the 51st Security Consultative Meeting on Nov. 15, where they are expected to touch on pending issues, such as Seoul’s intelligence-sharing pact with Tokyo. Esp
Nov. 8, 2019