S. Korea to extend W100b of trade financing to arms manufacturers this year

South Korea plans to extend 100 billion won ($75.84 million) in trade financing to subcontractors in the defense industry per year in the latest efforts to boost the country's global arms sales and prop up the domestic industry ecosystem, the industry ministry said Thursday. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and local banks signed a memorandum of understanding that calls for the financial support for smaller businesses in the field, a

April 6, 2023

Independence fighter's remains to return home from US next week

The remains of a Korean independence fighter who inspired a hit 2018 TV series will return home from the United States next week a century after his death, the veterans ministry said Tuesday. The remains of Hwang Ki-hwan, currently laid to rest at Mount Olivet Cemetery in New York, will be sent to South Korea on Sunday before the centennial anniversary of his death on April 17, according to the ministry. It plans to inter the remains at the Daejeon National Cemetery in Daejeon, 139 kilometers so

April 4, 2023

S.Korea, US, Japan stage anti-submarine drills amid escalating NK underwater threats

South Korea, the United States and Japan kicked off their two-day large-scale combined maritime exercises, mobilizing the US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the USS Nimitz, and its strike group to enhance combat readiness and interoperability against North Korea’s continued threats, South Korea’s Defense Ministry said Monday. The South Korean and US navies along with Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force started conducting anti-submarine warfare exercises and search and rescue

April 3, 2023

S. Korea identifies remains of another Korean War soldier

South Korea's military has identified the remains of another soldier killed during the 1950-53 Korean War, a dozen years after their discovery at a former battle site, the defense ministry said Thursday. The ministry's excavation team recovered the remains of Ssg. Heo Chang-sik in Inje, 119 kilometers east of Seoul, in 2011, and confirmed his identity based on a DNA analysis using a sample from his younger brother. Staff sergeant was the equivalent of the current corporal. Having joine

March 30, 2023

[From the Scene] Onboard USS Nimitz, allies vow ironclad defense

BUSAN — Dozens of aircraft were lined up on the flight deck of the USS Nimitz, with a flight deck about the size of three football fields and the top of the mast the equivalent of some 23 stories high from the keel. Aircraft ready for battle on the US Navy’s nuclear-powered supercarrier included the F/A-18 Super Hornet tactical aircraft, E-2 Hawkeye airborne early warning and battle management aircraft, Sea Hawk submarine hunter and anti-surface warfare helicopters and EA-18G Growler

March 28, 2023

USS Nimitz carrier to arrive in S. Korea in apparent warning to N. Korea

An imposing US aircraft carrier is set to arrive in the southeastern port city of Busan on Tuesday, officials here said, in yet another show of America's military might against growing North Korean threats. The nuclear-powered USS Nimitz carrier is slated to dock at ROK Fleet Command in the city, 325 kilometers south of Seoul, after its strike group trained with the South Korean Navy in the international waters south of the southern island of Jeju the previous day. Its presence here is expe

March 28, 2023

N.Korea fires 2 missiles as US aircraft carrier arrives in Busan

North Korea fired two ballistic missiles toward waters off its eastern coast on Monday, in an apparent protest against combined military exercises between the South Korean and US navies that featured a US aircraft carrier in international waters near the Korean Peninsula. The US Navy’s supercarrier USS Nimitz, capable of carrying up to 90 aircraft, and its strike group that includes warships armed with guided-missiles were set to dock at a naval base in Busan on Tuesday, marking the first

March 27, 2023

State arms agency to sign KF-21 mass-production contract next year

South Korea's state arms procurement agency is seeking to sign a contract next year to mass-produce the homegrown KF-21 Boramae fighter, its officials said Thursday, in what could be a key milestone for the jet acquisition project. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration briefed lawmakers during a session of the National Assembly's defense committee on the development plan, including its push to complete a "provisional" combat suitability test on the jet in May this

March 23, 2023

US condemns N. Korean missile provocation, urges UN members to hold Pyongyang accountable

WASHINGTON-- The United States strongly condemns North Korea's latest missile provocation, a state department spokesperson said Tuesday, while calling on all United Nations member countries to play their role in holding the country accountable. Vedant Patel, principal deputy spokesperson for the state department, said the North's latest missile launch on Monday was especially concerning as it simulated the use of a tactical nuclear weapon. "The United States condemned the DPRK&#

March 22, 2023

S. Korea, US set for 'largest-ever' live-fire drills to mark alliance's 70th anniversary

South Korea and the United States plan to conduct their "largest-ever" combined live-fire drills in June as part of a program to celebrate the 70th anniversary of their alliance, Seoul's defense ministry said Wednesday. The ministry unveiled the program designed to strengthen the allies' solidarity, demonstrate their militaries' technological edge and highlight their focus on "realizing peace through strength via action," according to the ministry. The allies h

March 22, 2023

Defense ministry sets out to normalize military intelligence-sharing deal with Japan

The defense ministry initiated the process to normalize a military intelligence-sharing deal with Japan on Friday, following a summit agreement between the leaders of both countries the previous day. The defense ministry said it sent a letter to the foreign ministry requesting measures to normalize the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA). The foreign ministry is soon expected to send an official letter to its Japanese counterpart in response, officials said. On Thursday

March 17, 2023

Yoon says will ‘completely normalize’ military intelligence-sharing pact

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday said he has pledged to “normalize” the military intelligence-sharing pact between South Korea and Japan during the summit meeting with his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida. The pact had been enmeshed in trade and historic disputes. Yoon said he “pronounced the complete normalization” of the General Security of Military Information Agreement, or GSOMIA, during his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida in Tokyo, as a

March 16, 2023

S. Korean Air Force conducts nonstop aerial drills amid NK missile launches

The South Korean Air Force’s major combat units conducted 36 hours of nonstop aerial drills to hone its combat capabilities in real war conditions during the 11-day Freedom Shield exercise of South Korea and the United States, the Air Force said Wednesday. The air combat exercises, conducted from 8 a.m. Tuesday to 8 p.m. Wednesday, were designed to improve the readiness posture for war as well as strategic and tactical operations to ensure sustainability in battle. The main goals were to g

March 15, 2023

[New Neighbors] S. Korea needs anti-discrimination law to be an open community for immigrants

This is the second installment of a series of features, analysis and interviews exploring the challenges faced by Koreans and foreigners in creating a more diverse society in South Korea rapidly shifting away from its homogenous past. – Ed. Immigrants are the only solution for South Korea’s looming demographic cliff, as the country faces an ultra-low birth rate and a rapidly aging population. But to turn this homogeneous society into an open community for immigrants, there must

March 15, 2023

11-day ‘freedom shield’ kicks off amid N.Korean missile threats

South Korea and the United States on Monday kicked off their longest-running, large-scale military exercises re-designed to strengthen defense and response capabilities against escalating threats from North Korea. In response, Pyongyang disclosed its first-ever underwater cruise missile launches on Sunday, raising the curtain on military actions which it had repeatedly warned. Amid North Korea’s accelerating military build-up, the Freedom Shield exercise continues for 11 days without a wee

March 13, 2023

Defense chief visits submarine command

Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup visited the Navy's submarine unit Thursday and called on troops to maintain a "full" combat readiness posture, his office said. His visit to the Submarine Force Command in Changwon, 398 kilometers southeast of Seoul, came amid concerns that North Korea could make provocations in response to a major South Korea-US military exercise set to begin next week. "You should not only maintain a full combat readiness posture ... on a day-to-day basis but

March 9, 2023

S. Korean military to launch drone ops unit as early as July

South Korea's military plans to launch a drone operations command as early as July, officials said Wednesday, in what would be a culmination of its efforts to bolster readiness following North Korea's drone incursions late last year. It has been working out details, such as the operational concept, command structure, personnel makeup and location of the specialized unit slated to open in the latter half of this year, according to officials at the Joint Chiefs of Staff. After the North&

March 8, 2023

S. Korean, Saudi defense chiefs agree to ministerial dialogue on defense cooperation

The defense chiefs of South Korea and Saudi Arabia agreed Tuesday to install a regular ministerial-level dialogue on arms industry cooperation during their talks in Seoul, the South Korean Defense Ministry, said. Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup and his Saudi counterpart, Khalid bin Salman, held the talks as a follow-up to the two countries' summit in November last year, where their leaders voiced hope for stronger cooperation in defense, energy and other sectors. Lee and Khalid agreed to inst

March 7, 2023

US Congress urges Pentagon to fix errors on Korean War memorial wall

The US Congress has urged the US Defense Department to take immediate measures to fix more than 1,000 errors on the Washington memorial wall erected to remember service members and Korean augmentees killed during the Korean War. Six bipartisan lawmakers, including chair of the House Committee on Armed Services Mike Rogers, on March 2 sent a letter to US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. “We find these errors deeply concerning and write to seek accountability on how the Remembrance Wall&rs

March 6, 2023

Military to make menus more flexible to suit soldiers’ tastes

South Korea’s Defense Ministry on Monday announced a new food service modernization program for this year that meets more of soldiers’ preferences, so that they could enjoy more varied options at barracks starting from the next month. The new plan seeks to end the previous military policy of providing meals to around 500,000 enlisted soldiers based on standardized menus and ingredients that were unilaterally imposed by the military authorities without considering soldiers’ pre

March 6, 2023