President Moon Jae-in on Monday ordered the military to submit all documents related to the allegation that the Defense Security Command had considered declaring martial law during massive protests against former President Park Geun-hye last year. 　According to Cheong Wa Dae, Moon demanded immediate submission of documents exchanged among military agencies during the anti-Park protests. The agencies involved include the Ministry of National Defense, Capital Defense Command, Army headquarters an

A group of army generals rolling tanks and troops into Seoul to seize power. Paratroopers firing at large crowds calling for democracy. Tanks and armored vehicles stationed at universities to intimidate student protesters.Such scenes of military intervention in South Korea have been nonexistent since the country achieved democracy in the late 1980s. But revelations this past week of a document showing the military drafted plans to mobilize troops to suppress protests last year have struck a nerv

A special team of military prosecutors will launch an investigation Monday into revelations that the military's intelligence unit reviewed the possibility of imposing martial law last year in response to protests calling for then President Park Geun-hye's ousting.President Moon Jae-in ordered the investigation after the disclosure of a Defense Security Command document that showed the military considered imposing martial law and mobilizing forces to quell candlelight protests against Park. (Yonh

SEOUL/MOSCOW -- Korea's defense ministry said Saturday it summoned a Russian military envoy over Russian planes' violation of the country's air defense identification zone. The Ministry of Defense said Park Chul-kyun, deputy director-general for international policy of the ministry, summoned Andrey Falileev, Russia's military attache to Korea, to protest Russian military planes' unauthorized entry into the KADIZ on Friday. TU-95 (Yonhap)"Russian military planes' KADIZ entry will not help efforts

Two Russian military planes on Friday violated South Korea's air defense identification zone (KADIZ) four times and flew away following warnings, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. The JCS said that the aircraft first entered the KADIZ north of the eastern island of Ulleungdo at 2:08 p.m. and flew out of it 74 kilometers southeast of Pohang at 2:35 p.m. They re-entered the KADIZ at 3:21 p.m. from the east and then left from the northwest of Jeju Island at 3:45 p.m.At 4:08 p.m., the planes

South Korea and the United States on Friday held a ceremony marking the return of the remains of two soldiers -- one Korean and the other American -- killed during the 1950-53 Korean War.The event took place at the Seoul National Cemetery in southern Seoul to honor the sacrifices of the South Korean soldier, Yun Kyung-hyeok, and an unidentified US serviceman whose remains were retrieved in the North and South, respectively, through bilateral cooperation."There is significant meaning as the remai

South Korea has no plans to discuss arms reduction with North Korea until the country has made progress on denuclearization, Seoul’s defense minister said Thursday, placing priority on building trust amid persistent doubt over Pyongyang’s denuclearization pledge.During a meeting with reporters, Defense Minister Song Young-moo said confidence-building measures will begin with basic processes -- such as reconnecting military communication lines and disarming the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zon

WASHINGTON -- An American expert on Asia voiced concern Wednesday that US President Donald Trump appears to be serious about wanting to pull US troops from South Korea.Michael Green, senior vice president for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said he believes Trump meant it when he told reporters after last month's summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that he would eventually like to get the troops out."That's a Christmas present in June for the North Koreans, Ch

Defense Ministry said Wednesday it is seeking to enact a special law for ensuring the military’s political neutrality amid the allegation the Defense Security Command considered imposing martial law during massive protests against former President Park Geun-hye last year. “Currently, the Ministry of National Defense is seeking to enact a special law to make sure the military stay neutral in political affairs,” said a senior defense official during the meeting with reporters. The special law is e

With North Korean and US delegates scheduled to meet Thursday to negotiate the return of US war remains from the Korean War, the focus is now on whether the two sides can make progress on the issue. During their first summit last month in Singapore, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump committed to recovering US war remains, including the “immediate repatriation of those already identified.” North Korea holds about 200 sets of remains from among the some 5,300 US militar

　Defense Minister Song Young-moo on Tuesday vowed to conduct a thorough investigation into the allegation that the Defense Security Command drew up a plan to impose martial law during massive protests against former President Park Geun-hye. 　In a televised press briefing, Song Young-moo said the ministry will soon establish an independent investigation panel, noting the investigators will have unfettered authority to find any wrongdoings of the Defense Security Command. 　“Until the investigation

Defense Minister Song Young-moo on Monday found himself in hot water over his remarks that women should conduct themselves in a “cautious manner.”During a meeting with civilian advisers on sexual assault in the military, Song said that women should be conscious about their behavior as he discussed the military’s measures to prevent sexual assault during after-hours office gatherings.“I saw my wife educating my daughter in detail about riding a taxi and dating a guy. Then I said to my wife, ‘Why

South Korea on Tuesday announced the suspension of the annual government mobilization Ulchi exercise this year, following the suspension of the combined military drill Freedom Guardian with the US last month. 　The Defense Ministry and Interior Ministry said the Ulchi exercise will be incorporated with the command-post Taeguk military exercise next year. This year’s Taeguk command exercises will take place in late October in tandem with the Hoguk field training exercise, the ministries added.   　

President Moon Jae-in has ordered an independent probe into the Defense Security Command drawing up plans for martial law during the protests against Park Geun-hye administration, Cheong Wa Dae Tuesday. “The independent investigation team will be made up of non-Army, non-DSC military prosecutors. The team will not be commanded by the defense minister, and will conduct the investigation independently,” Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said. Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom announces Pre

A joint military exercise between the United States and South Korea scrapped after President Donald Trump griped about "tremendously expensive" military drills would have cost around $14 million, US officials told Reuters on Friday.The Pentagon announced last month that it was indefinitely suspending the Freedom Guardian military exercise in support of the Singapore summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.Trump repeatedly touted the cost savings that would come with his decision