1 Navy sailor missing in East Sea near NK sea border

A South Korean Navy sailor went missing from a frigate on a patrol mission near the eastern maritime border with North Korea, the Navy said Sunday. The Navy said in a statement that a private first class sailor was reported missing from a vessel operating about 50 kilometers east of Geojin in Goseong, Gangwon Province. “The Navy is currently conducting a joint search with the Coast Guard, deploying ships and aircraft to locate the missing sailor,” it said. The Navy said it had also notified fish

2026-07-12 15:13:43:00

Defense minister faces impeachment threat over military service allegations

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back is facing mounting pressure over allegations of desertion during mandatory military service, with the main opposition party threatening to seek impeachment unless he releases his full military records. At the center of the controversy is Ahn’s official service record. It shows that he served for 22 months, eight months longer than the standard 14-month term that applied to him at the time. Critics claim that the additional period was likely imposed after he stopped

2026-07-12 14:57:09:00

Cyberattacks against S. Korean military top 18,000 last year: report

South Korea’s military faced more than 18,000 cyberattack attempts last year, a five-year high, while struggling to retain specialists trained to defend against such threats, according to a report released by a lawmaker’s office on Sunday. The report, based on Defense Ministry data submitted to Rep. Yu Yong-weon of the main opposition People Power Party, showed 18,951 cyberattack attempts against the military in 2025, up 31 percent from around 14,400 a year earlier. The figure had fallen to arou

2026-07-12 12:59:34:00

Assembly to question Hong, Chung in soccer hearing

South Korea’s National Assembly is set to hold a parliamentary hearing on the Korea Football Association later this month, amid renewed scrutiny over its management and the appointment process for national team coaches. The National Assembly’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee decided during a plenary session Thursday to hold the hearing on July 22. Rep. Lee Jae-jung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, who chairs the committee, said lawmakers would examine problems raised over the appoi

2026-07-09 14:44:39:00

Calls for caution over prosecution reform grow within ruling party

Calls for caution are growing within the ruling Democratic Party of Korea over its push to abolish prosecutors’ power to lead supplementary investigations, a key part of a reform agenda the party has pursued for years. The supplementary investigation power refers to prosecutors’ authority to conduct additional inquiries after police send a case to the prosecution, when prosecutors deem the initial investigation incomplete or flawed. It is separate from prosecutors’ direct investigation authority

2026-07-08 15:16:57:00

Hanwha's Canada submarine setback exposes NATO hurdle for Korean defense industry

South Korea’s failed bid to win Canada’s next-generation submarine project has highlighted both the competitiveness of its defense industry and the limits it faces in major NATO markets. On Monday, Canada named Germany’s Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems as the preferred bidder for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project. The program calls for up to 12 conventionally powered submarines for the Royal Canadian Navy. Hanwha Ocean, which competed with its KSS-III-based proposal, was named the reserve bidder

2026-07-07 15:45:19:00

Pressure mounts on minister over military academy merger

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back is facing mounting pressure over his plan to integrate the Army, Navy and Air Force academies. The proposal, part of Ahn’s push to reform military education and strengthen jointness among the services, has drawn growing criticism from opposition politicians, retired military leaders and academy alumni groups. On Sunday, Seoul mayor and prominent People Power Party figure Oh Se-hoon criticized the proposal. He said the officer training system was a “matter of long-te

2026-07-06 14:50:15:00

North Korea braces for heavy rains as delayed monsoon nears

North Korea has launched an inspection of disaster response readiness ahead of the rainy season, as the Korean Peninsula braces for possible heavy downpours after a delayed start to the monsoon season. The Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the ruling Workers’ Party, said Monday that each region and institution should establish an orderly command system to respond swiftly to disaster crises, along with monitoring and warning systems tailored to local geographical conditions. North Korea is

2026-07-06 11:18:17:00

Here’s what it takes to become an Air Force pilot: surviving 6 times gravity

CHEONGJU, North Chungcheong Province — As the countdown begins, the cockpit-shaped simulator spins faster, and the body sinks deeper into the seat as the force surges to six times the pull of gravity. Cheeks are pulled back, legs locked in place and short, guttural breaths come out every few seconds. Breathing is no longer taken for granted. “Keep your head back. Keep your lower body and abdomen tight,” an instructor tells me. I have to inhale and exhale forcefully with the abdomen, hips and leg

2026-07-03 19:15:55:00

Lee pledges push to make South Korea a space power

President Lee Jae Myung pledged Friday to foster South Korea’s space and aerospace industry as a key pillar of national security and a future growth engine, saying global technological competition is rapidly expanding beyond Earth. “Space is becoming a stage of boundless opportunity for countries equipped with advanced technology and industrial capabilities, much like the seas during the age of exploration,” Lee said during a meeting of the National Space Council in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Provi

2026-07-03 18:13:57:00