Most Popular
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10-man S. Korea lose to Indonesia to miss out on Paris Olympic football qualification
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Hybe-Ador feud should have limited effect on Hybe's overall performance: analysts
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Second Gimpo civil servant found dead, after apologizing for not finishing work
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DP leader says he will meet Yoon without conditions
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First-ever meeting of president, opposition chief set to finally happen
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NewJeans' singles, Japanese debut to proceed as planned, despite Hybe-Ador feud
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Blinken calls on China to press N. Korea to end its 'dangerous' behavior
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Experts raise concerns about Japan putting pressure on Naver over Line
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Samsung mobile chief, Google device head meet in Seoul
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Ship linked to NK arms shipments to Russia is moored in China: State Dept.
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Furlough threat hangs over US military bases in S. Korea
The US is warning it will send furlough notices within weeks to almost 9,000 South Korean workers at US bases if the two countries don’t reach agreement on President Donald Trump’s demand for Seoul to increase dramatically what it pays for American troops.Trump’s push for South Korea to contribute much more has put the alliance under strain at a time when North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s regime has said it would no longer be bound by its previous promise to halt testing
Jan. 23, 2020
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NSC members discuss follow-up measures to Hormuz troop dispatch decision: Cheong Wa Dae
South Korea’s top security officials had internal discussions Thursday on ways to strengthen "communication" with Iran and the United States in connection with its decision to send naval troops to the Strait of Hormuz for contributions to maritime security there, according to Cheong Wa Dae.They reviewed the international community’s responses to the move and discussed "follow-up measures," including the strengthening of "communication" with relevant nati
Jan. 23, 2020
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S. Korean unit in Hormuz Strait ready for any circumstances: defense ministry
The South Korean military unit dispatched to the Strait of Hormuz maintains a full readiness posture to deal with any situations in accordance with its operation guidelines, the defense ministry said Thursday.The 300-strong Cheonghae Unit, with a 4,400-ton destroyer, expanded its operational areas from its original sphere of the Gulf of Aden into the Strait of Hormuz this week to protect South Korean citizens and vessels passing through the strategically important waterway amid tensions between
Jan. 23, 2020
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Moon stresses military reform, innovation
The military will focus on strengthening its ability to respond to nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in 2020, and on applying cutting-edge technologies to its defense systems, the Ministry of National Defense said Tuesday. The plans were revealed in an annual briefing session for President Moon Jae-in at the Gyeryongdae complex -- an Army, Navy and Air Force headquarters near Daejeon. At the briefing, Moon stressed the importance of defense, pointing to the increased def
Jan. 21, 2020
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Cheonghae, Korea’s first overseas anti-piracy unit
The Cheonghae unit, deployed to safeguard a strategic waterway in the Middle East, is South Korea’s first overseas anti-piracy unit, best known for its highly publicized 2011 “Operation Dawn of Gulf of Aden.” In a dramatic rescue mission, Cheonghae’s commandos stormed a Korean tanker that had been hijacked by pirates off Somalia. All 21 crew members were rescued, and eight of the 17 pirates were killed. Five more pirates were captured, and four escaped. The tanker’
Jan. 21, 2020
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Anti-piracy unit’s mission expanded to include Hormuz Strait near Iran
The Ministry of National Defense said Tuesday that its anti-piracy Cheonghae Unit will expand its operational range to cover the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow body of water between the Persian and Oman Gulf that sees millions of barrels of oil passing through it daily. “Given the heightened tensions in the Middle East, we’ve decided to field the anti-piracy unit to cover those additional areas to protect our people and free passage of our ships,” the ministry said. The unit, whi
Jan. 21, 2020
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No. of military deserters falls 80% in 2013-2019: defense ministry
The number of military deserters has decreased more than 80 percent since 2013, the defense ministry said Monday.A total of 105 conscripts attempted to abandon their units in 2019, down 83.7 percent from 643 desertions in 2013, according to the ministry. During the cited period, the number of active-duty soldiers who committed suicide fell 22.7 percent from 79 cases in 2013 to 61 last year, the ministry data showed. Such improvement is, at least in part, attributable to a new military help line,
Jan. 20, 2020
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S. Korea, China hold working-level defense talks over peninsula
South Korea and China held working-level defense talks in Seoul on Thursday on ways to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula and enhance bilateral cooperation, Seoul's defense ministry said.During the 18th round of bilateral policy consultations, Lee Won-ik, director general of international policy at the Ministry of National Defense, and his Chinese counterpart, Song Yan Chao, exchanged their assessments of the recent security situation on the peninsula, according to the ministry. They shared t
Jan. 16, 2020
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S. Korea, US still have differences on defense cost sharing: ministry
South Korea and the US still have their differences on how to share the costs of stationing American troops in Korea, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday, after the two sides wrapped up their latest round of negotiations in Washington.“The two sides broadened their mutual understanding and consensus but confirmed that there are still differences between them,” the ministry said in a statement Thursday without mentioning what the differences were. “In the latest meeting, our
Jan. 16, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Active-duty soldier undergoes sex reassignment surgery, voices hope for continuing service
An Army non-commissioned officer underwent gender reassignment surgery last year and has expressed a desire to continue to serve in the military as a female solider, officers said Thursday.The serviceperson, whose identity was withheld, visited a foreign country while on furlough last year for the surgery. After an examination, a military medical team declared her "a handicapped person," which requires the authorities' evaluation to decide whether to discharge her or not. The officer r
Jan. 16, 2020
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[Feature] Korea urged to pay conscripts better
All able-bodied men in South Korea must serve in the military for about two years. The duty, which is a reminder that the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty, has rarely invited questions about whether soldiers are duly compensated for their service. That now shows signs of change. Both the public and the government are increasingly becoming aware of soldiers’ right to due monetary compensation, shifting away from considering military service as a statutory civi
Jan. 12, 2020
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S. Korea, US Army chiefs to meet in Washington this week
South Korea's Army Chief of Staff Gen. Suh Wook will visit the United States this week for talks with his US counterpart to discuss ways to boost ties between their services, Suh's office said Sunday.During his seven-day official visit starting on Sunday, Suh is scheduled to meet with US Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. James McConville to reaffirm the allies' staunch alliance and find ways to boost exchanges and cooperation between the militaries, according to the Army.The general is also planni
Jan. 12, 2020
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US unit seen stepping up preparations for rotational deployment to Korea
A US Army unit appears to be quickening preparations for its upcoming rotational deployment to South Korea, with its recent social media post saying its heavy equipment is "on its way to the port."The 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Infantry Division in Fort Riley, Kansas, is expected to arrive in Korea in the coming months for a nine-month rotational mission. It will replace the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Cavalry Division. "Rail head operations are just
Jan. 11, 2020
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S. Korea, US to hold defense cost talks next week after Washington hints at compromise
South Korea and the United States will hold a new round of talks in Washington next week on sharing the cost for stationing American troops here amid expectations the two sides are closer to a deal.Jeong Eun-bo, South Korea's chief negotiator for the talks, is set to meet his US counterpart, James DeHart, for two-day talks starting on Tuesday (US time), the foreign ministry said Friday.The planned negotiations come as the two allies are under pressure to clinch a fresh deal on determining how mu
Jan. 10, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Restricted military areas to be opened up
Restricted military areas in South Korea, concentrated in regions adjacent to Seoul, will be opened up to the public for business development, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea said Thursday. The areas to be affected are mostly near Seoul in surrounding Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces, and cover 77 square kilometers -- roughly 27 times the size of Seoul’s financial district of Yeouido. The areas would include regions as far away as the Chungcheong and Gyeongsang provinces, the party sa
Jan. 9, 2020
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Ministry says no decision yet on whether to send S. Korean troops to Hormuz Strait
South Korea has made no decision yet on whether to send its troops to help safeguard the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, Seoul's foreign ministry said Tuesday, amid rising tensions in the Middle East from the US killing of a top Iranian general last week. Friday's fatal drone strike on Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds Force, has raised expectations that Washington will step up calls for its allies to contribute to maritime security operations in the wa
Jan. 7, 2020
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US again flies surveillance aircraft over S. Korea amid tensions
The United States flew a surveillance aircraft over South Korea's capital areas on Tuesday, an aviation tracker said, amid simmering tensions over possible provocations by North Korea.An RC-135W Rivet Joint of the US Air Force was spotted in the skies above areas near the western port city of Incheon following similar operations by the aircraft the previous day, Aircraft Spots tweeted. Several other surveillance aircraft, such as the EP-3E and the RC-135S, have also been detected here often in r
Jan. 7, 2020
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US flies surveillance aircraft to monitor N. Korea amid tensions
The United States flew surveillance aircraft over the Korean Peninsula on Monday, an aviation tracker said, amid simmering tensions over possible provocative acts by North Korea after it warned of a "new strategic weapon."An RC-135W Rivet Joint of the US Air Force carried out operations over South Korea at 31,000 feet, Aircraft Spots tweeted.It added the flight took place Monday. This type of aircraft was last spotted over the peninsula on Wednesday, according to the
Jan. 6, 2020
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S. Korea to abolish military guardhouse system
South Korea is expected to abolish the military guardhouse system this year as part of efforts to better protect the human rights of draftees, officials said Saturday.A revision of the Military Personnel Management Act calls for the abolishment of guardhouses and the establishment of additional educational programs instead to discipline soldiers, according to the defense ministry. The bill, now pending at the National Assembly, will come into effect six months after passage.Under the guardhouse
Jan. 4, 2020
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Veterans can contest decoration review: court
Veterans or independence activists who fought against Japan during its occupation of the Korean Peninsula are eligible to file a legal complaint if they feel they were unlawfully denied decorations, the Seoul High Court said. According to judicial sources on Friday, the appeals court overturned an earlier ruling that refused to look into a claim, raised by a man on behalf of his deceased father, demanding the veterans affairs agency recommend a decoration for his father, who the son claims was
Jan. 3, 2020