Trump casts a long shadow over South Korea-US drills

South Korea and the United States have agreed to halve the duration of the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise at Washington's request, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff announced Wednesday. The allies decided to end this year's UFS exercise on Friday, shortening the drill to Aug. 17-21 from the originally planned Aug. 17-27 schedule, according to the JCS. The exercise kicked off Monday as initially planned. This is the first time a major combined exercise has been abruptly adjusted after getting u

2026-08-19 11:44:25:00

50 years after JSA killings, victims’ families underscore S. Korea-US military cooperation

PAJU, Gyeonggi Province — “I just hope for continued cooperation between our two countries.” Stacy Adams, a niece of 1st Lt. Mark Barrett, said Tuesday while visiting the Joint Security Area, where her uncle and Maj. Arthur Bonifas were killed by North Korean soldiers exactly 50 years ago. Both were US Army officers serving under the United Nations Command at the JSA. “The walk towards peace is sometimes a long one,” Adams told reporters. The deaths of the two officers, she said, “really brought

2026-08-18 17:28:00:00

Here's what Gwangju air base relocation means for South Korea's Air Force

South Korea is moving to vacate Gwangju Air Base by mid-2028 as part of the Lee Jae Myung administration's plan to make way for a semiconductor industrial cluster. As part of the effort, the Defense Ministry is preparing to temporarily relocate units of the Air Force's 1st Fighter Wing stationed at Gwangju to other air bases, a move that could also require the reassignment of some forces already stationed at the receiving bases. But the relocation faces a series of military challenges, including

2026-08-14 16:29:37:00

S. Korea, UN Command issue contradicting statements on new armistice unit

South Korea's Defense Ministry and the United Nations Command diverged Friday over the creation of a new unit tasked with security and enforcement of the 1953 armistice near the border dividing the two Koreas. Earlier in the day, the UNC said it was working on an internal reorganization to bring together units responsible for security at the Joint Security Area and enforcement of the Korean War Armistice Agreement. The proposed brigade-level organization, tentatively called the Security and Armi

2026-08-14 15:05:38:00

Lawmaker to undergo 3-day Army boot camp

Reform Party floor leader Chun Ha-ram is set to enter an Army training center in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province, on Wednesday to experience the conditions facing young service members firsthand. Chun, a member of the National Assembly's National Defense Committee, had his hair cut at a barbershop inside the National Assembly earlier that day as part of preparations for his two-night, three-day stay at the Army's 27th Recruit Training Regiment. He is scheduled to arrive at the training center

2026-08-12 17:15:12:00

North Korea resumes long-delayed naval base construction amid fleet modernization

North Korea appears to have resumed construction of a long-delayed naval base on its east coast, as Pyongyang accelerates efforts to modernize its fleet with new destroyers and a nuclear-powered submarine. New structures, believed to be temporary housing or tents for construction workers, appeared between Aug. 6-9 at the Tapchon Bay naval base site in Munchon, in North Korea's Kangwon Province, according to an analysis of Planet Labs satellite imagery by NK News. The outlet said the structures c

2026-08-12 15:23:37:00

Army seeks to automate field maintenance as staff shrinks

South Korea’s Army is looking to automate more of its field maintenance and logistics operations using artificial intelligence, robotics and autonomous systems, as the military prepares for a sustained decline in available personnel. According to military officials Wednesday, Army Headquarters has commissioned a study on converting key maintenance functions to automated systems as part of efforts to build what it calls a “smart field maintenance support system.” The project is tied to ArmyTiger

2026-08-12 14:30:35:00

North Korea fires ballistic missile into East Sea: JCS

North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the East Sea on Wednesday, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The military said it detected the launch at around 6 a.m., but did not immediately disclose the location. The missile flew about 700 kilometers, the military said. Its altitude was not disclosed. “Our military has strengthened surveillance and vigilance against possible additional launches, while South Korea, the United States and Japan are closely sharing information on the North Kore

2026-08-12 06:11:50:00

Lee calls for faster work on Sejong office, AI industrial hubs

President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday called for accelerating the construction of a presidential office in Sejong, reaffirming his goal of shifting more of the country’s core administrative functions away from Seoul. Speaking at a Cabinet meeting at the Government Complex Sejong, Lee said the city should firmly establish itself as a central hub of state affairs as part of the government’s push for balanced regional development. “Efforts must be made to ensure the stable relocation of key national f

2026-08-11 15:15:55:00

China's top diplomat likely to visit S. Korea next week

China's foreign minister will likely visit South Korea next week for talks expected to focus on North Korea's nuclear program, bilateral ties and regional security issues, sources said Monday. Seoul and Beijing are in final-stage consultations over a possible two-day visit by Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Communist Party's Political Bureau, from Aug. 19-20, according to sources familiar with the matter. If finalized, the trip would mark the first visit to South Korea by a senior Chinese f

2026-08-10 15:32:33:00