South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday dismissed recent reports that US President Donald Trump has named a specific price for keeping US troops in South Korea, saying the leaders simply do not speak in such a manner."Not just President Trump but no leader of any country in the world speaks in such a manner," the president was quoted as saying."Such reports can be an insult to President Trump," he added, according to his spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom.Moon's remarks follow news reports that claime

Seoul is focusing on the military aspects of inappropriate actions by Japanese military planes, in an apparent move to avoid the matter being politicized by Tokyo, following another close-proximity flight by a Japanese patrol plane. On Wednesday, Seoul’s Ministry of National Defense revealed that Japan’s P-3 patrol plane flew at an altitude of 60 to 70 meters and 540 meters away from South Korean destroyer Daejoyeong in international waters near Ieodo, a submerged rock near Jeju Island. Military

South Korea's military on Wednesday strongly condemned a Japanese warplane's low-altitude flight close to a South Korean warship, calling it a "provocative act."At 2:03 p.m., the Maritime Self-Defense Force's patrol plane flew close to the Navy ship at an altitude of 60 to 70 meters just 540 meters away near Ieodo, a submerged rock south of Korea's southern island of Jeju, it said. (Yonhap)"This low-altitude, close-range flight toward the ship of a partner country again today is a clearly provoc

South Korea's defense ministry on Monday renewed its calls for Japan to stop an "inappropriate media campaign" over a military radar dispute, with Tokyo poised to reveal fresh evidence that is likely to aggravate tensions.Japan's defense ministry plans to announce its "final view" on the dispute later in the day and disclose a recording of a sound made when its maritime patrol aircraft detected radar signals, to back up its claim that a South Korean warship directed its fire-control radar at the

　South Korea will increase defense spending by an average of 7.5 percent each year over the next five years, the Defense Ministry said.　The ministry announced its defense blueprint for the 2019-2023 period, when it intends to spend 270.7 trillion won ($241 billion) -- 94.1 trillion won on improving defense capabilities and the rest on managing troops, equipment and facilities.  　Under the plan, the ministry seeks to increase the country’s defense budget, which stands at 46.7 trillion won this ye

South Korea's Marine Corps Commandant Lt. Gen. Jun Jin-goo will visit Okinawa, Japan, next week for talks with top US military officials over cooperation in strengthening the bilateral alliance, his office said Friday.At the invitation of the III Marine Expeditionary Force, Jun will embark on a six-day trip on Monday to attend a high-level meeting of the allies' Combined Marine Component Command and meet separately with senior US military leaders. (Yonhap)"During his visit, the allies will discu

North Korea poses an “extraordinary threat” to the United States and its allies, and the US should remain “vigilant,” a US Pentagon report said on Thursday (US time).The US Department of Defense unveiled its new defense strategy in the 2019 Missile Defense Review, highlighting the need to add new technologies to the space-based missile defense system in order to protect the country from external threats. (Screen captured of the Missile Defense Review)The report is the first Missile Defense Revie

While the ongoing clash between Seoul and Tokyo over a recent radar incident at sea shows no signs of abating, it has also triggered controversy on YouTube, with the defense ministries of the two countries explaining their positions on the online platform. Japan was the first to take the issue to YouTube, uploading a 13-minute video of the incident to its YouTube channel on Dec. 28 with subtitles in Japanese and English to reinforce its accusations against South Korea. The video was shot from th

The end does not seem near for the ongoing radar row between Seoul and Tokyo, as the two governments continue to clash after a recent general-level meeting. The radar row erupted last month when Japan claimed that South Korea’s naval warship had locked its weapons-targeting radar onto its warplane. Korea has rejected the allegation and maintains it was on a humanitarian rescue mission of a North Korean fishing boat adrift in the overlapping exclusive economic zones of South Korea and Japan. The

Some 100 members of the Navy’s Sea Salvage and Rescue Unit have been jumping into freezing sea waters since Monday, as the unit began its annual winter training at the southern port city of Jinhae, South Gyeongsang Province. 　This year’s program is focused on adapting to the cold sea water and overcoming challenges they may face in the sea, according to the Navy. (Yonhap)During the five-day training, the SSU conducts various exercises, including scuba training in which divers explore the bottom

TOKYO (Yonhap) -- Japan has taken exception to South Korea's action following the two sides' recent talks on the ongoing military radar row, reports claimed Wednesday.Kyodo News said the Japanese defense ministry was up in arms about South Korea's announcement of incorrect information about the spat earlier this week. Images from the vidoe released by Seoul`s Ministry of National Defense. YonhapThe two countries met in Singapore on Monday with the goal of narrowing their differences on the situa

The ongoing radar spat between South Korea and Japan is deepening, with the two sides clashing over the matter of sharing the frequency of the radar signal that Tokyo claims to have detected. Japan insists that a South Korean Navy destroyer locked its weapons-targeting radar onto a Japanese warplane during a recent search and rescue operation, but South Korea denies the allegation.The Ministry of National Defense said Wednesday that it had asked Tokyo to reveal the frequency of the radar that it

South Korea and the United States are expected to decide by the end of this month how to proceed with joint military exercises amid ongoing nuclear negotiations with North Korea.The allies have suspended several exercises since the June summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to help advance talks on dismantling the North's nuclear weapons program.(Yonhap)Pyongyang condemns the drills as an invasion rehearsal against the regime despite assurances from Seoul a

Ministry says NK has specialized battalion for assassination of key figures

South Korea and the United States are expected to seek high-level talks to renew a cost-sharing agreement for American troops stationed in the South, after 10th rounds of talks with their chief negotiators failed to reach a deal, a South Korean government official has said.  Seoul and Washington have held a series of talks since March last year over how much of the cost South Korea should bear for the stationing of 28,500 troops of US Forces Korea.(Yonhap)US President Donald Trump has called for