A South Korean Special Forces unit dispatched to the United Arab Emirates has become a “trip wire” in the ongoing Yemeni civil war, an opposition lawmaker said, calling for the unit’s immediate withdrawal from the region. In an interview with Yonhap News Agency on Thursday, Rep. Kim Jong-dae of the minor Justice Party said that the 150-member Akh Unit could automatically be drawn into the UAE’s fight against rebel forces in Yemen.The UAE has joined Saudi Arabia-led military campaigns against Hou

Several Japanese warships carrying a controversial flag symbolic of its past imperialism are expected to join an international fleet review slated to take place on South Korea's southern island of Jeju next month, a military source in Seoul said Thursday.The display of Japan's Rising Sun flag is likely to inflame the public sentiment in South Korea, where historical animosity over the wrongdoings of the country's onetime colonizer, still runs deep. Japan colonized the peninsula from 1910-45.  (A

When the Korean national soccer team won the gold medal at the Asian Games on Sunday, English Premier League star Son Hong-min, along with 20 of his teammates, received exemptions from mandatory military service. 　The hard-won victory over archrival Japan would typically have been a sweet moment for South Korea, but there was bitter sentiment this time that was openly expressed. The resentment stems from exemptions from military service granted to the soccer players for “raising national prestig

A military probe team investigating wrongdoings of the now-disbanded security command sought an arrest warrant Tuesday for a two-star general over the alleged surveillance of civilians years ago.The team suspects that Maj. Gen. So Gang-won, who served as the chief of staff of the Defense Security Command, was actively involved in monitoring the bereaved families of victims of a 2014 ferry disaster.It cited flight risk and the possibility of So destroying evidence. Maj. Gen. So Gang-won (Yonhap)I

The defense ministry on Monday launched an advisory panel on gender equality in the military following a series of sexual abuse scandals involving senior uniformed officers.The 15-member panel, including nine civilian experts, held its first session at the ministry's building in central Seoul. The panel includes Vice Defense Minister Suh Choo-suk and Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center chairwoman Lee Mi-kyung. (Yonhap)"The defense ministry will work to help remove unreasonable discrimination aga

Concerns persist over whether reform measures will completely overhaul scandal-ridden security command

South Korea will strengthen measures to guard against terrorist attacks involving drones, as such small unmanned aircraft have been increasingly used in terror acts around the world, officials said Monday.Concerns about drone attacks flared anew following an apparent assassination attempt on Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro early last month, in which two explosive-carrying drones went off during a military ceremony.On Monday, officials from terror-related ministries and agencies, such as the

The military manpower agency will conduct a full review of the active-duty military service exemption system, its chief said Monday, amid controversy over dozens of athletes benefiting due to their wins in the latest Asian Games in Indonesia.Calls have persisted for an overhaul of the decades-old system to ensure fairness and transparency, particularly at a time when the country is seeking to cope with a potential shortage of draftees likely to be caused by the nation's low birthrate.  (Yonhap)"

South Korea has developed an advanced infrared missile countermeasure that can better protect aircraft from attacks, the government said Sunday.The Defense Acquisition Programs Administration (DAPA) said it teamed up with local defense contractor Hanwha Systems to build the directional infrared countermeasure (DIRCM). The country is the sixth in the world to develop this type of defense system, which can effectively hinder a heat-seeking missile as it attempts to lock on to an airborne target li

The newly minted security intelligence unit will be banned from monitoring military personnel and keeping their records, and install a whistleblowing system as part of efforts to ensure its political neutrality, officials said Sunday.The Defense Security Support Command was launched Saturday after its predecessor, the Defense Security Command, was disbanded last month following a series of political allegations, including its consideration of martial law to quell anti-government protests in 2017

South Korea created a new military security command Saturday that replaces a scandal-prone unit.The military held a launch ceremony for the Defense Security Support Command (DSSC) at its headquarters in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul. It was hosted by Defense Minister Song Young-moon.The command is tasked with collecting security-related intelligence and countering anti-state activities. Lt. Gen. Nam Young-sin, a former special forces commander, has been named its first leader. (Yonhap)Its predec

South Korea and Russia have agreed to install a direct communication line between their air forces, Seoul's defense ministry said Thursday, raising hopes that it will help prevent the latter's violation of the Korea air defense identification zone.Seoul's Vice Defense Minister Suh Choo-suk reached the agreement with his Russia counterpart Alexander Fomin during their strategic dialogue in Moscow on Tuesday (Moscow time).Last month, two Russian military planes violated the KADIZ four times and fl

WASHINGTON -- President Moon Jae-in's security adviser said Wednesday that a declaration to end the 1950-53 Korean War would have nothing to do with the South Korea-US alliance or the presence of American troops here.Moon Chung-in, a special advisor for unification, diplomacy and national security affairs for President Moon Jae-in, made the remark in a meeting with Yonhap News Agency in Washington, apparently seeking to dispel concerns that an end-of-war declaration would eventually lead to a pu

　The South Korea government announced that it will raise its defense budget 8.2 percent on-year in 2019, the largest expansion since 2008.　The Ministry of National Defense said it has proposed a budget of 46.7 trillion won ($42 billion) for next year. 　Of the total, the ministry plans to spend 15.3 trillion won on boosting defense capabilities, an increase of 13.7 percent from the previous year, while setting aside 31.3 trillion won for running military forces, an on-year growth of 5.7 percent.

South Korea scrambled Air Force jets Wednesday to counter a Chinese military plane flying in the country's air defense domain without notice, defense authorities in Seoul said.It entered the Korea air defense identification zone at around 7:37 a.m. and moved over southern and eastern waters for about four hours, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  (Yonhap)"(We) took normal tactical measures," such as sending a warning message and dispatching Air Force jets to track and monitor it, the JCS a