US Forces Korea said Tuesday it extended the suspension of a curfew for its troops for an additional 90 days, calling it a period to demonstrate their "good order and discipline at all times and under all conditions."The curfew, between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m., was imposed in 2011 amid public outcry over allegations of sexual violence and other crimes by USFK troops. The temporary suspension of the curfew began on June 17, and will be extended until Dec. 17, according to the USFK.  &quo

South Korea is planning to showcase F-35A stealth fighters to the public for the first time during the Armed Forces Day ceremony next month to officially mark their introduction into the country, officials said Tuesday.South Korea has so far brought in eight F-35As, beginning with two in late March, under a plan to deploy a total of 40 fifth-generation jets through 2021. But the military has handled their arrivals in a low-key manner, sparking speculation the government is concerned about object

Nations Command launched senior-level talks last month to narrow differences over the command's role after Seoul takes back the wartime operational command of its forces from Washington, government sources said Tuesday.The allies have shown differences over the UNC's future authority and roles amid speculation that the US could be trying to expand and strengthen the UNC in an attempt to keep control of the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command even after the OPCON transfer.After the transfer, a

South Korea is committed to pushing for the retaking of the wartime operational control of its troops from the United States and the relocation of the combined forces command headquarters as planned, the defense ministry said Monday.The comment came after reports that former South Korean generals, who served as deputy CFC commanders, suggested to the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae that the envisioned OPCON transfer and the relocation of the CFC headquarters out of Seoul be delayed until North

South Korea and the United States are set to start negotiations on their cost-sharing deal for the upkeep of the 28,500 US troops stationed here, amid increasing pressure from the US president to increase contributions from allies. The two countries will launch negotiations for the Special Measures Agreement as early as late this month, as the current one-year deal is set to expire Dec. 31. US President Donald Trump has been upping the ante as he heads into his reelection campaign, pressing

From saluting the national flag to congratulatory messages from comrades, a touching ceremony held at an Army barracks last month was much the same as any other event marking the retirement of soldiers from active duty.There was one difference, though: Those being honored were military working dogs.After successfully completing missions in field units for about eight years, three veteran canine officers -- German shepherds Dansoo and Gado and Belgian Malinois Moogong -- took to the stage at the

South Korea's National Security Council expressed "strong concern" Tuesday about North Korea's latest launch of projectiles.The NSC standing committee convened an emergency videoconferencing session, presided over by Chung Eui-yong, chief of the presidential national security office.Its members "expressed strong concern that North Korea is continuing the launch of short-range projectiles since May," Cheong Wa Dae said. They also reviewed the overall security conditions on the

The defense ministry said Monday it opened a support center for potential victims of controversial humidifier disinfectants blamed for a number of deaths, following revelations that the products were also widely used in barracks.Last month, the state-funded Special Commission on Social Disaster Investigation reported that the problematic products were used in the military. The defense ministry later confirmed that 15 military units across the country used the controversial products for years unt

South Korea is considering holding a PR event to mark the introduction of F-35A stealth fighters into the country as part of next month's Armed Forces Day ceremonies, officials said Saturday.South Korea has so far brought in eight F-35As, beginning with two in late March, under a plan to deploy a total of 40 fifth-generation jets through 2021. But the military has dealt with the introduction in a low-key manner, sparking speculation the government is concerned about objections from North Korea.

United States Forces Korea Commander Gen. Robert Abrams emphasized the importance of the two countries’ alliance on Thursday amid speculation of a possible rift following Seoul’s decision to end a military information-sharing pact with Japan.“It is a repeated, demonstrated commitment to defend one another from the threats that face our countries. We could not and cannot do that alone,” Abrams said during the banquet as part of the Seoul Defense Dialogue underway in Seoul.

South Korea’s Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo said Thursday the nation would continue to work with patience to build trust with North Korea for lasting peace, urging multilateral cooperation.Speaking at the 2019 Seoul Defense Dialogue, he appeared to touch on the recent feud with Japan, raising concerns that the competition between countries is intensifying due to their own national interests. The SDD is an annual multilateral consultative forum hosted by South Korea’s Ministry of

Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo pledged Thursday to build strong military capabilities to back the government's efforts to achieve peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and beyond."Despite last year's achievements for peace on the Korean Peninsula, many challenges still lie ahead, such as military tensions heightened by North Korea's recent firings of short-range ballistic missiles," Jeong said during an opening address at the eighth Seoul Defense Dialogue (SDD).Stressing that

An annual international security forum hosted by South Korea's defense ministry kicked off in Seoul on Wednesday for discussions on situations on the Korean Peninsula and the surrounding region, as well as peacekeeping operations and cybersecurity.The eighth vice-ministerial Seoul Defense Dialogue, set to run for three days until Friday, brought together hundreds of officials and experts from around 50 countries and two international organizations, including the United Nations, according to the

The United States respects South Korea's decision to seek an early return of more than two dozen American military bases in the country and will work with its ally to get the bases returned "as expeditiously as possible," US Forces Korea said Tuesday.South Korea's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae announced the decision last week, saying the move is in line with the relocation of all US bases to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul. "We are aware of the ROK g

The United States successfully tested the capability of its anti-missile system, called Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, to intercept medium-range ballistic missiles in an apparent move to keep North Korea in check. The test was carried out from the US Army Garrison Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands on Friday, according to the US Missile Defense Agency. “Preliminary indications are that planned flight test objectives were achieved and the target was successfully i