S. Korea to launch preparations for Asia’s first Invictus Games

South Korea will begin preparations for the 2029 Invictus Games in Daejeon, the first edition of the international sporting event for wounded service personnel and veterans to be held in Asia, Veterans Minister Kwon Oh-eul said Wednesday. During a policy briefing presided over by President Lee Jae Myung, Kwon said the government plans to enact a special law and launch an organizing committee in 2027. The games are scheduled to take place from Oct. 6-15, 2029, at the Daejeon Convention Center and

2026-08-05 15:00:30:00

Seoul aims to set target year for wartime command transfer in fall: ministry

South Korea will seek to decide on a target year for regaining wartime operational control from the United States at annual defense ministerial talks this fall, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said Wednesday. During a policy briefing to President Lee Jae Myung at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Ahn said Seoul and Washington would discuss the final timing of the transfer at the Security Consultative Meeting to be held in November. “We will discuss the full operational capability assessment with the US defe

2026-08-05 14:30:38:00

North Korea denounces South Korea-US-Japan military, cyber cooperation

North Korea on Tuesday denounced growing security cooperation among South Korea, the United States and Japan, warning that their participation in a major multinational naval exercise would prompt Pyongyang to develop new deterrent capabilities. The Korean Central News Agency criticized the recently concluded Rim of the Pacific exercise, or RIMPAC, describing it as a US-led war rehearsal that has entrenched security instability in the Asia-Pacific region. The biennial exercise, which ran from Jun

2026-08-04 14:51:59:00

Army suspends 1st Corps commander after US drone mishandling

The commander of the 1st Corps has been removed from duty amid scrutiny over a series of readiness lapses, including the recent mishandling of US military drones operating near the western front, military officials said Monday. Lt. Gen. Han Ki-sung was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation, with an acting commander appointed to lead the corps, according to the Army. The move comes days after drones detected in an area overseen by the 1st Corps were initially classified as unide

2026-08-03 17:54:20:00

Military counterintelligence command reform takes shape

South Korea on Monday formally launched a new military counterintelligence system built around three separate organizations, completing the breakup of an agency that has faced numerous accusations of wrongdoing. Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back attended Monday’s launch ceremony for the Defense Counterintelligence Agency in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province. He called on the organization to focus on countering espionage and emerging security threats while remaining under firm democratic control. Maj. Gen.

2026-08-03 15:17:33:00

JCS probes lapse after US drones mistaken for hostile aircraft

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said Friday it would inspect the Army’s 1st Corps after frontline troops mistook a US military drone involved in a joint exercise for hostile aircraft, activated an air-defense alert and prepared to shoot it down. The JCS plans to examine the corps’ surveillance and reporting procedures and determine whether it properly maintained its operational readiness during Thursday’s incident. “We plan to conduct an on-site inspection of the 1st Corps to closely examine

2026-07-31 17:08:58:00

N. Korean scholar casts population decline as threat to national development

North Korea is showing growing concern that its declining birth rate could eventually undermine national development, with a state scholar describing population decline as a serious challenge to a country’s survival and future. In an article posted Friday on the website of Kim Il Sung University, Ho Kwang-rim, a professor in the university’s economics faculty, said persistently falling birth rates were leading to population decline in an increasing number of countries. Such a trend has become a

2026-07-31 17:08:49:00

Seoul to expand nuclear submarine acquisition unit under DAPA

South Korea is moving to expand a submarine program unit under the country’s arms procurement agency, as it accelerates efforts to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. The Interior Ministry has drafted a revision to the organizational decree governing the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and affiliated agencies, according to government officials Friday. Public opinions on the proposal will be accepted through Monday. Under the revision, the Korean Submarine Project Group, a temporary or

2026-07-31 12:27:35:00

[단독] 주한미군사령관, 내년 이임 가능성…차기 보직 불투명

자비에 브런슨 한미연합사령관 겸 주한미군사령관이 내년을 끝으로 물러날 가능성이 큰 것으로 전해졌다. 브런슨 사령관은 2024년 12월 20일 취임해 현재 약 19개월째 근무 중이다. 복수의 소식통은 30일 브런슨 사령관이 2027년까지 주한미군사령관으로 근무한 뒤 이임할 것으로 예상된다고 밝혔다. 브런슨 사령관은 주한미군뿐 아니라 한미연합군사령부와 유엔군사령부를 함께 지휘하는 한국 내 미군 최고위 장성이다. 다만 현재까지 구체적인 후임 후보는 거론되지 않은 것으로 알려졌다. 사령관 교체가 예상되는 2027년은 한미가 전시작전통제권 전환과 주한미군의 역할 및 전력 구조 등 주요 동맹 현안을 놓고 논의를 이어갈 시기라는 점에서도 주목된다. 군 소식통들에 따르면 브런슨 사령관은 랜디 조지 전 미 육군참모총장이 지난 4월 퇴임한 이후 후임 육군참모총장 후보로 검토됐다. 그러나 차기 육군참모총장에는 현재 육군참모차장 겸 참모총장 직무대행인 크리스토퍼 라니브 대장이 유력한 것으로 전해졌다. 라

2026-07-30 18:08:06:00

[Exclusive] USFK commander likely to serve only to 2027

Gen. Xavier Brunson, the most senior US military officer in South Korea, is expected to remain commander of United States Forces Korea only into 2027, multiple sources said Thursday. The timing is notable, as any leadership transition would come while Seoul and Washington are confronting major questions ranging from the transfer of wartime operational control to the future role and force posture of US troops on the Korean Peninsula. Potential candidates to take over from Brunson remain unclear,

2026-07-30 18:07:51:00