Most Popular
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Korean labor force to shrink by 10 million by 2044: report
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[AtoZ Korean Mind] Does your job define who you are? Should it?
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Allegations surrounding BTS resurface, enraged fans demand apology
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Students with history of violence will be barred from becoming teachers
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Top prosecutor pledges 'speedy, strict' probe into first lady's luxury bag allegations
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Medical feud leaves hospitals in financial crisis
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Samsung mocks Apple over iPhone alarm glitch
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'Queen of Tears' riding high on Netflix chart
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'Super Rich in Korea' will leave viewers appreciating Korea more: producers
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Chip up cycle won’t stay long: SK chief
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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
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S. Korea announces first female two-star general
A female South Korean Army brigadier general was promoted on Friday to become the country's first female two-star general, the defense ministry said.Kang Sun-young, 53, became a major general in a regular reshuffle of top uniformed officers and was appointed by President Moon Jee-in to lead the Army's Aviation Operations Command, the ministry said. It will also be the first time that a female commander will take the helm of the aviation command, according to the ministry. "Maj. Gen. Ka
Nov. 8, 2019
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US Defense Secretary Esper to visit S. Korea next week
US Defense Secretary Mark Esper will travel to South Korea next week for annual defense ministers' talks ahead of the expiry of a key military intelligence-sharing pact between Seoul and Tokyo, the Pentagon said Thursday. Esper will depart Wednesday to travel to Seoul, Bangkok, Manila and Hanoi, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said during a press briefing. He did not provide the exact dates, but it appears likely the secretary will travel in that order.Esper's trip to Seoul comes ahead of th
Nov. 8, 2019
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Defense cost-sharing negotiations face rough road ahead
The ongoing defense cost-sharing negotiations between South Korea and the United States face a rough road ahead, with Washington reportedly asking Seoul to pay for expenses not included in the original agreement.The US has asked Korea to pay about $5 billion toward the cost of maintaining its troops stationed here for another year, about five times more than the current 1.04 trillion won ($861.4 million), local media reported Thursday. This amount reportedly would include items that are not stip
Nov. 7, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Seoul pushes to require naturalized S. Koreans to serve in military
The defense ministry is considering making it mandatory for naturalized male citizens to serve in the military, as other South Korean men must do, in an effort to cope with a decrease in the number of draftees amid a shrinking population, a senior government official said Wednesday. The state-run Korea Institute for Defense Analyses is in the final stage of research on the issue, and based on the results, the ministry could begin procedures to revise the military service act as early as next yea
Nov. 6, 2019
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S. Korea to reduce troop numbers to 500,000 by 2022
South Korea said Wednesday that it will reduce its number of troops to 500,000 by 2022 in the latest move to tackle looming demographic challenges as Asia's fourth-largest economy faces a rapidly aging population.Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki also said South Korea will reform the country's military in a way that utilizes technologies, such as weaponized drones, reconnaissance satellites and unmanned aircraft.The plan comes as the number of people required to serve in the military is projected to
Nov. 6, 2019
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Army suspends operation of Surion choppers following unusual signs
The Army said Tuesday it has suspended the operation of Surion choppers, after one helicopter made an emergency landing due to signs of a malfunction during military operations.On Monday, the Surion chopper made "a preventive landing" at a military airbase in Yanggu, Gangwon Province, while taking part in military operations to ensure safety after unusual signs, including a slight vibration, were detected."Though there were no problems in the safety of crew members and the helicop
Nov. 5, 2019
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S. Korea, US to stage scaled-back combined air exercise to replace Vigilant Ace: officials
South Korea and the United States are not considering resuming their annual Vigilant Ace joint air exercise and will instead hold a scaled-back flying training together, officials said Tuesday.The allies decided last year to suspend the massive Vigilant Ace drills in an effort to support diplomatic efforts to convince the communist nation to give up its nuclear programs. The sides instead held a replacement exercise, called the Combined Flying Training Event.The Vigilant Ace maneuvers will be sk
Nov. 5, 2019
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US spy aircraft on missions over East Sea: aviation tracker
The United States flew a RC-135S surveillance plane over South Korea's East Sea, an aviation tracker said Tuesday, on an apparent mission to collect intelligence regarding North Korea.The RC-135S Cobra Ball aircraft departed Kadena Air Base in Japan's Okinawa and flew over the East Sea earlier in the day, Aircraft Spots said in a Twitter post.The surveillance aircraft last made a similar flight over the region in early October. As one of America's major intelligence-gathering assets, the aircraf
Nov. 5, 2019
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S. Korea, US to skip combined Vigilant Ace exercise: sources
South Korea and the United States are expected to skip a combined wintertime air exercise just as they did last year to support ongoing diplomacy for the denuclearization of North Korea, sources said Sunday. Military authorities of the two countries "shared the understanding" on the postponement of the Vigilant Ace air exercise that usually takes place around December, a source said, adding that a final decision will be made when the two countries hold annual defense ministers talks la
Nov. 3, 2019
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S. Korea to resume war remains excavation next week after ASF-driven suspension
South Korea's military is expected to resume a project next week to excavate and identify war remains near the border with North Korea after it was suspended due to the outbreak of African swine fever (ASF), officials said Saturday.The excavation mission will be restarted on Arrowhead Ridge, Cheorwon, some 90 kilometers northeast of Seoul, where about 300 soldiers from South Korea, the United States and France are believed to have been killed in bloody battles during the 1950-53 Korean War."
Nov. 2, 2019
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Chinese military plane enters KADIZ after prior notification for first time
A Chinese military plane entered South Korea's air defense identification zone after sending prior notification on Tuesday, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, in a turnaround from China's practice of breaching the zone without notice.The plane, believed to be Y-9 transport aircraft, sent advance notices before entering the South Korean air defense identification zone twice over waters near the country's southern island of Jeju. It stayed in the zone for about 77 minutes in total, according to the o
Oct. 29, 2019