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North Korea launches multiple short range missiles ahead of Trump's return
North Korea launched multiple short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Tuesday, in its latest show of force a week before the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that the missiles flew approximately 250 kilometers after being launched at around 9:30 a.m. from Kanggye, Jagang Province, near the regime's border with China. They landed in the East Sea, it added. “The South Korea-US intelligence authorities had been closely monitor
Jan. 14, 2025 -
S. Korea to develop advanced high-altitude interceptor missile
South Korea's arms procurement agency announced Tuesday that it has launched the development of the L-SAM-II, an enhanced long-range surface-to-air missile designed to improve range and altitude capabilities. The L-SAM-II is designed to intercept the enemy's nuclear and missile threats at higher altitudes than the existing L-SAM system. Its increased altitude capability is expected to expand defense coverage to three to four times the current model. The advanced interceptor is expected to enable
Jan. 14, 2025 -
North Korea fires unidentified missile into East Sea: JCS
North Korea launched an unidentified missile into the East Sea on Tuesday morning, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. This marks the North's second missile launch this year, following the first on Jan. 6. The launch appears to be an attempt by North Korea to escalate provocations ahead of next week's inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump on Monday.
Jan. 14, 2025 -
Military prosecutors to appeal acquittal of ex-Marine investigator in insubordination case
Military prosecutors have decided to file an appeal against a court martial ruling that acquitted a former top Marine investigator, who led a probe into a young conscript's death, of insubordination charges, officials said Monday. The decision came just four days after Col. Park Jung-hun was acquitted of insubordination and defamation by a court martial in central Seoul. "The defense ministry's prosecutors' office respects the court martial's ruling. But based on a review of the sentencing, we h
Jan. 13, 2025 -
Defense Ministry denies provoking North Korea in connection with Yoon's martial law plot
South Korea's Ministry of National Defense dismissed allegations it took military actions intended to provoke North Korea ahead of President Yoon Suk Yeol's Dec. 3 martial law declaration. "Our military has consistently deterred North Korea’s provocations through steadfast policies and robust military readiness," the ministry said in a statement released to the press in Seoul on Monday. "However, persistent suspicions linking the military to the martial law incident and accusing it of provoking
Jan. 13, 2025 -
Defense ministry rejects as 'not true' claims that military induced N. Korea's provocations
The defense ministry on Monday rejected allegations that its suspension of an inter-Korean military pact and resumption of anti-Pyongyang loudspeaker broadcasts were aimed at inducing North Korea's provocations ahead of December's martial law imposition. The ministry's response came amid suspicions raised by the opposition bloc and some media reports that the military "intentionally" took part in such activities to prompt North Korea to stage provocations in connection with President Yoon Suk Ye
Jan. 13, 2025 -
North Korean soldiers believed they were sent to Russia for training, not war: NIS
Two North Korean soldiers deployed in the Ukraine-Russia war claimed they believed they were participating in a military exercise, not a war, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service reported on Sunday. According to the NIS, the North Korean soldiers were captured by Ukrainian military forces in the Kursk region of western Russia on Thursday and are currently in the custody of the Ukrainian government. The NIS stated that one of the detainees testified they arrived in Russia in November last
Jan. 12, 2025 -
Ex-Marine investigator acquitted over defamation, mutiny charges
Col. Park Jeong-hoon, the former head of the Marine Corps investigation team, was acquitted Thursday on charges of mutiny against his superiors and defamation of a defense minister during his investigation into the death of a Marine corporal. The Central District Military Court delivered the verdict Thursday morning, concluding a trial that lasted over a year since proceedings began in December 2023. The case garnered widespread attention when Park revealed he had been instructed to exclude a ke
Jan. 9, 2025 -
US senators backing return of nukes to S. Korea rise to chair key committees
US senators who have advocated for the redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons to the Korean Peninsula and the Indo-Pacific region have assumed leadership of key committees overseeing the US State and Defense departments. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), chair of the Armed Services Committee, and Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chair of the Foreign Relations Committee, have both called for a bold overhaul of the US nuclear posture to bolster deterrence and safeguard South Korea and Indo-Pacific all
Jan. 8, 2025 -
Military chiefs of S. Korea, Canada discuss expanding cooperation
The top military officers of South Korea and Canada held video talks Wednesday and discussed ways to expand military cooperation, the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. JCS Chairman Adm. Kim Myung-soo and his Canadian counterpart, Gen. Jennie Carignan, assessed the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and concurred on the importance of expanding cooperation for peace and stability on the peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific region, the JCS said. During the talks, Kim stressed that the securi
Jan. 8, 2025 -
N. Korea says it tested new hypersonic missile
North Korea on Tuesday hailed its test-firing of a new intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile the previous day, claiming it was successful and contained a system that could "deal a serious military strike to a rival.” Confirming Monday's test-firing, Pyongyang’s state media the Korean Central News Agency said that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw the test himself, with his daughter believed to be named Ju-ae, accompanying him. The new missile was launched from the outskirts of Py
Jan. 7, 2025 -
North Korea fires ballistic missile for first time this year
Launch comes ahead of Trump's inauguration, during Blinken's visit to Seoul North Korea fired a suspected hypersonic ballistic missile into the East Sea around noon, marking its first missile provocation this year, South Korea's military said Monday. According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the suspected intermediate-range ballistic missile flew about 1,100 kilometers after being launched from the Pyongyang area Monday at noon, before plunging into the sea off the east coast. The missile flew for
Jan. 6, 2025 -
Presidential security service under fire for using military to block Yoon's arrest
The Presidential Security Service is facing additional criticism over its move to block the enforcement of an arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday, after it was revealed that its use of military personnel to do so came in the face of explicit opposition from the acting defense minister. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials on Friday said that personnel from the 55th Security Brigade of the Capital Defense Command were mobilized to block the exe
Jan. 5, 2025 -
Navy conducts first maritime drills this year
South Korea's Navy said Sunday it has conducted its first maritime drills in 2025 across all seas in the east, west and south. The drills took place Friday, involving a total of nine naval vessels and two aircraft from the First Fleet in the East Sea, the Second Fleet in the Yellow Sea and the Third Fleet in waters off the country's southern coast, the Navy said. The Gwanggaeto the Great destroyer, the Chuncheon frigate and others of the First Fleet carried out an anti-submarine exercise, live-f
Jan. 5, 2025 -
Prosecutors indict army chief, ex-martial law commander on insurrection charges
The top commander of the Army and the general who was briefly martial law commander a month ago were indicted by prosecutors on Friday, on charges of insurrection and abuse of power over their alleged roles in the Dec. 3 martial law imposition. Prosecutors indicted Army Chief of Staff Gen. Park An-su, who served as martial law commander, and Lt. Gen. Kwak Jong-keun, chief of the Army Special Warfare Command, under detention, accusing them of playing "key roles in the act of insurrection" tied to
Jan. 3, 2025