NATIONAL
Terminating GSOMIA may send ‘wrong’ message to adversaries: Abrams
Wartime OPCON transfer is contingent upon conditions being met, says top US military official stationed in Korea
Nov 13, 2019
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-t...
Nov 11, 2019
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 Foundat...
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 Info...
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 an...
Nov 8, 2019
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 contro...
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 ...
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 P...
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 origin...
Nov 7, 2019
[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 o...
Nov 6, 2019
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 agi...
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 Surio...
Nov 5, 2019
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 ...
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 C...
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...
Nov 3, 2019