-
1st indigenous KF-21 fighter jet enters final assembly phase
The first production model of South Korea's homegrown KF-21 fighter jet entered final assembly Tuesday, the state arms procurement agency said, in a major milestone for the advanced aircraft acquisition project. A ceremony marking the final production phase took place at Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd.'s headquarters in Sacheon, about 290 kilometers southeast of Seoul, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration. During the phase, the aircraft will be fully assembled with externa
May 20, 2025 -
PPP’s Kim Moon-soo flags potential US troop cut under Trump as key concern
Conservative People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo on Monday flagged the potential reduction of US troops in South Korea by US President Donald Trump as a key security concern. “If President Trump calls for an increase in South Korea’s share of the defense burden for the stationing of US Forces Korea, I think a moderate increase is acceptable,” Kim said during a luncheon event hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea. “But what concerns me is the possibility of a redu
May 19, 2025 -
Arms agency selects key development projects for defense chips
The state arms procurement agency has designated five key projects aimed at developing semiconductor technologies for defense manufacturing, officials said Monday, as South Korea seeks to bolster its independent capabilities to build chips for military systems. The projects include the development of semiconductors for small satellites as well as module platforms for Synthetic Aperture Radar on drones and Active Electronically Scanned Array radars, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Ad
May 19, 2025 -
USFK's strategic flexibility issue resurfaces as Pentagon focuses on deterring China
The geopolitically-charged issue of the 28,500-strong US Forces Korea's "strategic flexibility" appears to be reemerging as the Pentagon is working to craft a new defense strategy to prioritize deterring Chinese threats and increasing allies' "burden sharing." The issue has gained renewed attention amid speculation that President Donald Trump's administration might strive to align USFK troops and other US military assets in the Indo-Pacific with his "America First" policy priorities to keep Chin
May 15, 2025 -
S. Korea, NATO to hold 3rd military staff talks in Seoul
South Korea and NATO will hold their third military staff talks in Seoul on Monday to discuss ways to strengthen their defense cooperation, the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. Maj. Gen. Kwon Young-min, chief of the directorate of strategic planning at the JCS, and Brig. Gen. Eray Unguder of the Turkish army, deputy director of NATO's cooperative security division, will lead the talks scheduled for later in the day, the JCS said. During the meeting, the two sides are expected to assess the se
May 12, 2025 -
S. Korean, US navies stage joint drills in East Sea
The South Korean and US navies have concluded four days of joint naval drills in the East Sea in the latest move to enhance their ability to counter simultaneous enemy attacks, officials said Sunday. The drills, which were held from Thursday to Sunday, involved about 10 South Korean naval ships, including the 7,600-ton ROKS Yulgok Yi I destroyer, and around 10 aircraft. From the US side, the USS William P. Lawrence guided-missile destroyer and a maritime patrol plane participated, according to t
May 11, 2025 -
Arms agency upgrades warship defense system against missiles
The state arms procurement agency said Thursday it has upgraded a self-defense system for warships as part of efforts to strengthen their defense capabilities against incoming missiles. The Multi Ammunition Softkill System is designed to protect warships from anti-ship missiles by launching decoys that emit smoke and mimic signals similar to that of the defending vessel, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration. The system recently underwent various upgrades so that it can lau
May 8, 2025 -
North Korean leader, troops to skip Russia’s Victory Day despite deepening military ties
The Kremlin has confirmed that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his troops will not attend Russia’s May 9 Victory Day celebrations, despite growing attention over whether Kim would appear in Red Square alongside other leaders, amid Pyongyang’s deepening military alignment with Moscow. Kim, however, has notably continued to publicly give "field guidance" at weapons factories at home — a move observers in Seoul interpret as signaling North Korea’s intent to sustain military support for Russia’s
May 7, 2025 -
Lebanese delegation visits S. Korea to boost ties
A delegation from Lebanon, where South Korea's United Nations peacekeeping unit is stationed, has arrived in South Korea on Wednesday for a trip aimed at strengthening bilateral ties, the South's military said. The delegation, comprising government, military officials and civilians, arrived in the country earlier in the day for a five-day itinerary that includes visits to key security landmarks, such as the Dora Observatory and the Third Tunnel in the border town of Paju, according to the Joint
May 7, 2025 -
As China, Russia escalate cognitive warfare, experts say Seoul needs counterstrategy
As China and Russia ramp up sophisticated cognitive warfare targeting the Korean Peninsula, experts at a Seoul forum urged the South Korean government to craft a counterstrategy grounded in objective, professional assessments of both countries’ capabilities. The Korean Association of Area Studies co-hosted the seminar themed, “Security Threats of Cognitive Warfare and Trump’s Second-term Strategy on China,” on Friday with the Institute for National Security Strategy and the Sejong Institute at t
May 2, 2025 -
S. Korea, US hold 1st joint tabletop exercise against space threats
South Korea and the United States conducted a combined tabletop exercise against space-based threats earlier this week, the South's military said Friday, amid growing space security threats by North Korea. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff and the US Space Forces Korea held the discussion-based Polaris Lynx exercise for the first time on Thursday, joined by military officials and space security experts, according to the JCS. Officials from the US Forces Korea and the South's Agency for Defense
May 2, 2025 -
Army stages live-fire air defense drills near inter-Korean border
South Korean soldiers conducted live-fire air defense drills near the inter-Korean border this week as part of efforts to maintain readiness against North Korean drone threats, the Army said Friday. The three-day exercise began Wednesday in a coastal area in the border county of Goseong, about 160 kilometers northeast of Seoul, involving some 130 troops and eight anti-aircraft vehicles, including the K30 Biho and the K30W Chunho, according to the Army. The drills took place with a focus on detec
May 2, 2025 -
Acting president urges watertight readiness posture against N. Korea-Russia military ties
Acting President Han Duck-soo on Thursday called on security-related ministers to maintain a watertight readiness posture against strengthening military ties between North Korea and Russia, saying there must be "no compromise" when it comes to national security. Han also instructed ministers to keep a vigilant defense posture and "leave no gaps" in protecting the lives and property of the people, amid growing speculation that he may soon resign before announcing his bid for the June 3 presidenti
May 1, 2025 -
Navy holds maritime defense drills in waters off western, southern coasts
The Navy said Thursday it conducted maritime drills in waters off the western and southern coasts earlier this week as part of efforts to maintain defense readiness. The four-day exercise designed to train against North Korean maritime threats began Monday, mobilizing some 20 surface ships and about a dozen aircraft from the Second and Third Fleets, according to the Navy. The Second Fleet, in charge of defending the Yellow Sea, deployed the 3,100-ton ROKS Seoul frigate among other warships for t
May 1, 2025 -
US Navy secretary visits HD Hyundai Heavy, Hanwha Ocean to explore shipbuilding cooperation
US Secretary of the Navy John Phelan visited South Korea's leading shipbuilders, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. and Hanwha Ocean Co., Wednesday, as Washington seeks to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the sector under President Donald Trump. Phelan, on a two-nation Asia trip also involving Japan, visited HD Hyundai Heavy's headquarters in Ulsan, some 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and toured a yard where next-generation Aegis destroyers are being built. He then held talks with HD Hyundai
April 30, 2025