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S. Korea joins US-led multinational cyber defense drill
South Korea’s Cyber Operations Command plans to participate in Cyber Flag, a multinational cyber defense exercise hosted by the US Cyber Command, the Defense Ministry said Monday. The training is scheduled from Monday to Friday at the US National Cyber Range Complex in Virginia. A team of seven personnel from Seoul's Cyber Operations Command will take part in the drill to strengthen their response capabilities against cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure and share cyber threat intellig
July 21, 2025 -
UN land mine experts visit S. Korea to discuss reducing minefield risks
Two land mine experts from the United Nations Development Program visited South Korea this week, as the devices remain a serious concern on the Korean Peninsula, particularly due to the risk of displacement caused by flooding. The visit by Sean Moorhouse, UNDP technical adviser for mine action, and Kwon Goo-soon, UNDP chief technical adviser in Vietnam, was made at the invitation of South Korea's Defense Ministry. Their visit aims to "provide technical advice on managing previously undocumented
July 20, 2025 -
Drone operations commander summoned over Yoon's alleged NK drone order
South Korea’s special counsel on Thursday summoned Drone Operations Command head Maj. Gen. Kim Yong-dae as part of its investigation into insurrection and treason charges against former President Yoon Suk Yeol. Led by Cho Eun-suk, the probe is examining whether Yoon ordered a drone operation into North Korea in October 2024 to create a pretext for declaring martial law in December last year. The investigation into Kim reportedly stems from testimonies within the military that claim that Yoon gav
July 17, 2025 -
Report urges South Korea to rethink defense export strategy amid China’s AI arms push
As China accelerates the integration of artificial intelligence, drones and robotics into its military systems, South Korea must rethink its arms export strategy to maintain global competitiveness, a state-run think tank said Wednesday. In a report titled "China’s Defense Industry: Status and Implications," the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade said that Beijing was channeling significant resources into unmanned and intelligent warfare capabilities, even amid domestic economic h
July 16, 2025 -
Defense minister nominee vows to militarily support govt. efforts to establish peace
Defense Minister nominee Ahn Gyu-back pledged Tuesday to militarily support the government's push to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula and mend strained ties with North Korea. "(If I take office), I will militarily support the government's efforts to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula," Ahn told a parliamentary confirmation hearing. The minister nominee emphasized the importance of leaving doors open for engagement with the North. "While establishing deterrence based on immense milita
July 15, 2025 -
No discussion taking place at all on USFK withdrawal or downsizing: FM nominee
South Korea and the United States have held no discussions at all over withdrawing or downsizing US troops stationed in the South, Foreign Minister nominee Cho Hyun said Tuesday. Cho made the remarks in a statement submitted to members of the parliamentary Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee ahead of his confirmation hearing scheduled for Thursday. The statement came amid continued speculation that, under President Donald Trump's second term, Washington may downsize the 28,500-strong US Fo
July 15, 2025 -
Drone operations command raided in Yoon martial law probe
South Korea’s special counsel team raided the military’s drone operations command Monday as part of its investigation into former President Yoon Suk Yeol. Led by Special Counsel Cho Eun-suk, the raid was part of a broader investigation into whether Yoon orchestrated a drone operation over North Korea in an attempt to fabricate a pretext for declaring martial law on Dec. 3. Monday's raid marked a sign that the insurrection probe has expanded into treason charges. Some of Yoon's opponents have cla
July 14, 2025 -
DAPA completes live-fire test of Marine attack helicopter
South Korea’s arms procurement agency said Monday it has successfully conducted day-and-night live-fire tests of machine guns and rockets for the Marine Attack Helicopter, which is currently under development and slated for completion next year. According to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, the tests were conducted three times during the first half of this year to verify the helicopter’s combat capabilities under both daytime and nighttime conditions. The evaluation focused on its
July 14, 2025 -
N. Korea bristles at S. Korea-U.S.-Japan air drills
North Korea on Sunday blasted recent combined air drills conducted by South Korea, the United States and Japan, saying such joint military actions are "the main danger factors heightening the level of the military tension" on the Korean Peninsula and its surrounding region. "We express serious concern over their hostile acts of persistently conducting provocative and threatening military actions while deliberately ignoring the security concern of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and str
July 13, 2025 -
S. Korea, US continue joint efforts to 'make progress' toward OPCON transition: Pentagon official
South Korea and the United States continue cooperation to "make progress" toward the transition of wartime operational control to Seoul, a Pentagon official said Friday, indicating that discussions on the major alliance issue are ongoing. The official made the remarks as new South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's administration seeks to retake it at a time when US President Donald Trump's administration has been urging allies to take a greater security burden while prioritizing deterring Chinese
July 12, 2025 -
S. Korea, US, Japan stress security partnership amid N. Korean nuclear threat
The top military officers of South Korea, the United States and Japan met in Seoul on Thursday for their annual trilateral meeting, emphasizing the importance of security cooperation, particularly in the face of North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile threats. Held for the first time in South Korea, the 22nd Trilateral Chiefs of Defense (Tri-CHOD) meeting brought together South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Kim Myung-soo, US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Daniel Caine, an
July 11, 2025 -
Military chiefs of S. Korea, US meet but avoid thorny issues
The top military officers of South Korea and the United States met Thursday but avoided thorny issues such as a potential increase in Seoul's payment for the stationing of US Forces Korea on the peninsula, sources close to the matter said. Adm. Kim Myung-soo, chairman of the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff, and his US counterpart, Gen. John Daniel Caine, held a 40-minute meeting at Seoul’s JCS headquarters. Their agenda focused on updates on North Korea's military and security cooperation between
July 10, 2025 -
Defense Ministry, National Security Office searched in Marine death probe
The special counsel team on Thursday conducted a search and seizure operation at the Ministry of National Defense and the presidential National Security Office as part of an investigation into allegations that senior officials intervened in a probe into the 2023 death of a young Marine. The team, led by special counsel Lee Myung-hyun, executed search and seizure warrants targeting the Defense Ministry’s Policy Office, Spokesperson’s Office and Military Advisor’s Office, as well as the National S
July 10, 2025 -
Ex-Marine investigator to be reinstated after acquittal of insubordination charges
The Marine Corps said Thursday it will reinstate a former Marine investigator who led a probe into the 2023 death of a young conscript, as he was acquitted of insubordination charges related to the case. Former Col. Park Jung-hun will be reinstated Friday, the Marine Corps said in a notice to the press, after he was dismissed from the post in August 2023 in a probe related to the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun. The reinstatement comes as a special prosecutor looking into the death decided Wednesday
July 10, 2025 -
Top military officers of S. Korea, US to meet amid USFK role change speculation
The top military officers of South Korea and United States were set to meet in Seoul on Thursday to discuss their countries' bilateral alliance amid speculation over a possible change in the role of US troops stationed here. The meeting between Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Kim Myung-soo and his US counterpart, Gen. Dan Caine, comes a day ahead of their regular meeting with their Japanese counterpart, Gen. Yoshihide Yoshida, that will take place at the South's JCS headquarters Friday, acco
July 10, 2025