Most Popular
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Exports to US reach all-time high, widen gap with China
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Trump rekindles criticism: US forces defending 'wealthy' S. Korea 'free of charge'
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Opposition-led Assembly unilaterally passes bill to probe Marine's death
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[Music in drama] Rekindle a love that slipped through your fingers
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Inflation eases in April, continues bumpy ride
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Golden chance to liquidate babies’ gold rings?
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Seoul Metro to seek legal action against malicious complaints
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Illit, mired in controversy, remains on Billboard charts for 5th week
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[New faces of Assembly] Architect behind ‘audacious initiative’ believes in denuclearized North Korea
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On May Day, labor unions blast Yoon's foreign nanny proposal
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Korea starts 2-day Dokdo defense exercise
South Korea on Thursday began a two-day military exercise for the defense of Dokdo, a set of rocky islets in the East Sea to which Japan lays territorial claim."The Navy will conduct the regular Dokdo defense exercise aimed at preventing the infiltration of external forces into the South Korean territory in conjunction with a flotilla-level field exercise by the Navy's First Fleet," according to the Navy. The First Fleet is based in the East Sea.The exercise is conducted twice a year and involve
Dec. 28, 2017
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Ex-USFK commanders support delaying drills for PyeongChang Games
Pushing back joint South Korea-US military drills until after the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games is worth considering, said former commanders of US Forces Korea in a Voice of America report Wednesday. US warplanes on standby during the Vigilant Ace South Korea-US joint air drill held from Dec. 4 to Dec. 8. YonhapThe idea of postponing joint drills that coincide with the games was first publicly raised by President Moon Jae-in during an interview with US broadcaster NBC on
Dec. 27, 2017
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Six Korean warships to retire after three-decade service
The Navy said Wednesday its 1,500-ton Chungnam frigate, known as a benchmark ship, will retire after playing a key role in the defense of South Korean waters for three decades.The Navy plans to hold a retirement ceremony for the ship, one of the first-generation warships here, and five other naval vessels -- three patrol ones and three high-speed boats -- at the Jinhae port later in the day.The country's indigenous Chungnam, 102 meters long and 12 meters wide, was commissioned in 1985. The 1,50
Dec. 27, 2017
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Korea to scrap long-range military radar development project
South Korea's defense authorities decided Tuesday to ditch a program to develop a fixed long-range radar system against North Korea's aircraft.The Defense Acquisition Program Administration signed a contract with LIG Nex1, a local defense firm, for an indigenous radar to replace the aged Air Force ones established largely on hilltops.But the radar developed by the company failed in an operational test in 2014."Multiple defects were found in the test and a violation of contract terms was also det
Dec. 26, 2017
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Army blames faulty parts operation for K9 explosion
South Korea's Army said Tuesday a mechanical flaw triggered the explosion of a K-9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer in August that left three soldiers dead and four others wounded.The howitzer blew up abruptly while in use at a shooting range in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province. The Army has since suspended the operation of K9s for training purposes, although it remains operational for combat ones.The detonator ignited by itself and some components functioned abnormally, the Army said after a joint inv
Dec. 26, 2017
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Defense ministry to create N. Korea nuke team
South Korea's defense ministry announced Tuesday that it will launch a special team on North Korea in an organizational shift aimed at responding more effectively to increased nuclear and missile threats from the communist neighbor.Under the plan approved at a Cabinet meeting, the Ministry of National Defense will create a post to oversee its North Korea policy under the Office of National Defense Policy led by a deputy minister.It is to serve as the ministry's "control tower" on handling North
Dec. 26, 2017
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Korea's military mulls operating F-35B stealth aircraft aboard new amphibious assault ship
South Korea's military has begun to consider operating F-35B stealth aircraft from its newest amphibious landing ship slated to be deployed in 2020, as part of efforts to strengthen its naval power, sources said Sunday.The authorities have recently discussed whether the second 14,000-ton Dokdo-class vessel can carry the F-35B fighter, a short takeoff and vertical landing variant of the US-made fifth-generation warplane."I understand that the military top brass have recently discussed whether the
Dec. 25, 2017
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US distances itself from Korea's call to postpone military drills
WASHINGTON -- The United States on Wednesday distanced itself from South Korean President Moon Jae-in's call to postpone the allies' military exercises until after the PyeongChang Olympic Games.Moon told US broadcaster NBC Tuesday that the two countries could review the timing of the regular drills to reduce tensions during the event, which will be held some 80 kilometers south of the inter-Korean border.The Winter Games are slated to run from Feb. 9-25, and the Paralympics from March 9-19. They
Dec. 21, 2017
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Delay in military drills requires halt to N. Korean provocations: Cheong Wa Dae
South Korea and the United States may delay their joint military exercises only for the duration of the Winter Olympic Games to be held here next year and if the North halts its military provocations, a ranking South Korean official said Wednesday.The remarks came one day after South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in an interview with US broadcaster NBC he has proposed delaying the military drills, which North Korea accuses of a war rehearsal, as part of efforts to reduce tensions during the
Dec. 20, 2017
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Arms agency reveals imported parts of key weapons
South Korea's state arms agency on Wednesday made public a list of 15,500 components of weapon systems in use here.It's the first measure taken in coordination with the ruling Democratic Party to promote the local defense industry.The Defense Acquisition Program Administration and the party had a policy consultation meeting the same day with a view to helping expand arms exports and create jobs. DAPA chief Jeon Jei-guk (Yonhap)The two sides agreed to cooperate on raising the global competitivene
Dec. 20, 2017
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Moon says Korea, US could review postponing military drills before Olympics
South Korea and the United States may consider postponing their joint military exercise as part of efforts to reduce tension and invite North Korea to the Winter Olympic Games to be held in South Korea, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Tuesday.Moon, however, said the move really depends on the way North Korea behaves."It is possible for South Korea and the US to review the possibility of postponing the exercises. I have made such a suggestion to the US and the US is currently reviewing it
Dec. 20, 2017
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Korea to expand women's role in military
South Korea will more than double the number of its female soldiers to 2,450 by 2022 as part of defense reform, the ministry of National Defense said Wednesday.Currently, there are 1,100 active-duty female troops, 5.5 percent of the country's 625,000-strong armed forces. The ministry plans to raise the ratio to 8.8 percent in the last year of the Moon Jae-in administration. Voluntarily enlisted female officers in South Korea's military. (Yonhap)It has also decided to scrap restrictions on assign
Dec. 20, 2017
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Korean, US marines conduct joint winter drill
Hundreds of South Korean and US marines have teamed up for a winter training in the eastern mountainous region of PyeongChang, South Korea's Marine Corps said Tuesday.The three-week exercise began Dec. 4 at the Mount Hwangbyeong training camp as part of the Korea Marine Exercise Program.It involves more than 220 South Korean Marines and some 220 US Marines stationed in Okinawa, Japan. The two sides have staged such a combined winter drill since 2013, aiming to sharpen their combat skills in subf
Dec. 19, 2017
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Trump's natl. security strategy reaffirms strong Seoul-Washington alliance: S. Korea
South Korea's foreign ministry said Tuesday that US President Donald Trump's latest announcement of the country's national security strategy reaffirmed the strong alliance between Seoul and Washington.Trump vowed Monday to "take care of" North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile threats as he unveiled his administration's first national security strategy. He said that cooperation with US allies is critical to responding to such threats."The strategy reaffirmed that the US will double commitmen
Dec. 19, 2017
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Korea conducts nuclear disaster drill
South Korea conducted a nationwide drill Tuesday to test its ability to respond to a nuclear crisis situation in Japan, a government commission said.Authorities examined the readiness to deal with possible radioactive materials coming in from nuclear power plants in the nearby island nation, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission said. (Yonhap)The drill was based on the assumption of a massive earthquake hitting the Genkai Nuclear Plant and causing radioactive materials to be released into t
Dec. 19, 2017
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Chinese warplanes infringe on KADIZ: military
Five Chinese military planes on Monday entered the Korean Air Defense Identification Zone, prompting South Korea's fighter jets to make an emergency sortie, Seoul's military said.The Chinese aircraft were detected infringing on the KADIZ from the southwest of Ieo Island at around 10:10 a.m. and flying out of the zone at 1:47 p.m., according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff."Our military confirmed that they are military planes of China through the Air Force's Master Control and Reporting Center," it
Dec. 18, 2017
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Missile expert named to lead state arms development body
A missile expert has been promoted to head South Korea's state arms development agency, filling the post left vacant for seven months, the Ministry of National Defense announced Monday.Nam Sae-kyu, who served as vice president of the Agency for Defense Development, has been picked to assume the job for a three-year tenure.Having joined the ADD in 1978, he led the development of the Hyunmoo ballistic missile system. He also worked as the chief of a guided weapon system team. Nam Sae-kyu, new pres
Dec. 18, 2017
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S. Korean, US forces hold drill for removing North Korea's WMDs
South Korean and US forces conducted a joint training last week for infiltrating North Korea and removing weapons of mass destruction in case of conflict, military sources said.The "Warrior Strike" exercise was held at Camp Stanley, located north of Seoul, and other places from Tuesday to Friday, involving hundreds of soldiers from the two sides, they said. Gen. Jung Kyung-doo (Yonhap)The US 2nd Infantry Division said on Facebook on Friday that Gen. Jung Kyung-doo, chairman of Joint Chiefs of S
Dec. 17, 2017
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Panel proposes legislation to ensure military's political neutrality
A government-civilian committee on eradicating deep-rooted malpractices in South Korea's military proposed special legislation Thursday on forcing it to stay away from politics.It calls for heavy punishment against civil servants and defense officials seeking military intervention in political affairs.Military officials will also be required to reject any related order, instruction or request.It's among a set of measures suggested by the panel created by the Ministry of National Defense in Septe
Dec. 14, 2017
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Ministry to discuss safety of residents near USFK range
South Korea's defense ministry said Thursday it will hold a town hall meeting with people who live close to a major US Forces Korea shooting range.The session, the first of its kind in four months, will be held at the city hall of Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, later in the day, and will be joined by Vice Defense Minister Suh Choo-suk, Pocheon Mayor Kim Jong-chun and the US Eighth Army Commander Lt. Gen. Thomas S. Vandal. Around 50 residents also plan to attend. Suh will brief them on the results o
Dec. 14, 2017