CLARK, Philippines -- South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo said Monday he and US Secretary of Defense James Mattis plan to use military uniforms for a joint warning message to North Korea this week, when they meet in South Korea for bilateral annual talks.Song proposed that Mattis wear a Marine Corps combat uniform, instead of a suit, in meeting with the allies' troops on the peninsula together. The Pentagon chief is a retired Marine Corps general.Song, a former Navy admiral and chief of

WASHINGTON -- The defense chiefs of South Korea and the United States reaffirmed Monday that their alliance is the "linchpin" of regional peace and security.The acknowledgment from South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo and US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis comes as tensions have heightened over North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.The two met on the sidelines of a regional defense ministerial meeting in the Philippines earlier in the day. This photo, provided by South Korea`

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump is likely to visit American troops at a newly expanded US military base in South Korea next month, a senior White House official said Monday.The visit would take place during Trump's state visit to Seoul on Nov. 7-8 amid high tensions over North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs."The president is most likely going to be visiting Camp Humphreys," the official told reporters on condition of anonymity. "Camp Humphreys is a relatively new base, a

CLARK, Philippines -- South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo prepared Monday for a round of bilateral and multilateral diplomacy in Clark, the Philippines, on North Korea and other regional security issues.He's visiting the Clark Freeport Zone, northwest of Manila, to attend the 4th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus.The Philippines, the chair of ASEAN meetings this year, is hosting the 11th ADMM and the expanded ADMM-Plus session that also includes eight dialogue partners: South Korea,

CLARK, the Philippines -- South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo arrived in the Philippines on Monday to join a high-level regional security forum.North Korea will be among the agenda items at the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus in Clark, Pampanga, about two hours north of Manila.The two-day session to open later in the day brings together defense chiefs of Southeast Asian nations and their eight dialogue partners: South Korea, the United States, China, Japan, Russia, Australia, Indi

The US Forces Korea said Sunday it has officially set up the unit charged with operating the advanced missile defense system deployed in the country.A ceremony was held in the southeastern county of Seongju on Thursday to transfer the Delta Battery of the 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade in Fort Bliss, Texas, to the 35th ADA Brigade in South Korea, official sources said.The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery, which has missile launchers, command and control facilities and a powerful r

Two US B-1B strategic bombers flew over South Korea on Saturday as part of their participation in the Seoul air show. The long-range, multi-mission supersonic bombers flew low over Seoul Air Base for eight minutes as part of the air show, formally called the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition 2017.The first one appeared in the skies over the air base, escorted by two South Korean F-15K fighter jets, and flew as low as just 450-500 meters above the ground before exiting to the w

US aerospace giant Boeing Co. and Saab of Sweden are vying to win South Korea's next maritime patrol aircraft contract, military sources here said Sunday.Military officials at this year's Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition being held in Seongnam, just south of the capital city, said the two companies have respectively proposed the P-8A Poseidon and Swordfish as candidates for the contract. The planes can allow South Korea to better counter North Korea's growing underwater threa

　South Korea’s Air Force on Friday announced a plan to establish a new surveillance unit by the end of this year, which it said would boost the capability to detect any preparations in North Korea for nuclear and missile attacks. 　The envisioned “Air Intelligence Wing,” to be formed by Dec. 1, will have a task organization and mission largely based on those of the 37th tactical intelligence group located in US Osan air base, it said. 　Employing Global Hawk high-altitude surveillance drones and S

South Korea’s military on Thursday announced a plan to develop “Frankenmissile” to counter North Korea’s escalating missile and nuclear capabilities in a bid to overwhelm the North during the initial phase of the war. In its report to an annual parliamentary audit by the National Assembly’s Defense Committee, the Army said they would develop the “Hyunmoo IV” surface-to-surface missile, powerful enough to destroy North Korea’s underground military facilities and command center. Combined with indi

South Korea's Army said Thursday it will be quick in totally destroying North Korea's front-line artillery systems in the event of a war on the peninsula.In a report to the National Assembly, the Army presented a three-tier missile strike concept in the early stage of an armed conflict.The weapon that will first be mobilized is a tactical surface-to-surface missile, called KTSSM and known as artillery killer."KTSSM-I will strike the enemy's tunnels with the 170-mm self-propelled howitzers and 24

South Korea’s Marine Corps on Thursday announced a plan to establish a new command dedicated to protecting border islands, pledging to defend the sea border against North Korea’s potential attacks and infiltration attempts. In its report to a parliamentary audit Thursday, the Marine Corps said the new command will be built around 2020 and based on the current Northwestern Island Defense Command. It was formed in 2011 following North Korea’s artillery attack on Yeongpyeong Island, one of the farm

Seoul needs to actively pursue pre-emptive strike capability to maintain a balance of power with North Korea amid escalating military tensions on the Korean Peninsula, an expert said Thursday. “(South Korea) needs to actively pursue (measures) to secure various pre-emptive strike capabilities,” Choi Kang, vice president of research at the Seoul think-tank Asan Institute for Policy Studies, said at a forum.  US President Donald Trump (Yonhap)The expert highlighted the rogue regime’s growing missi

South Korea and the US will increase the role of Apache heavy attack helicopters in efforts to foil a maritime invasion by North Korea's special forces, lawmakers here said Thursday.The US Forces Korea's AH-64D Apache choppers are joining the Maritime Counter Special Operations exercise underway in the Yellow Sea, according the members of the National Assembly's defense committee. An Apache attack helicopter conducts a firing drill in this file photo. (Yonhap)They were briefed on some naval oper

South Korea's Navy said Thursday it plans to create an aviation command and a new task fleet in tandem with the military's push for "aggressive operations" in response to North Korean provocations.The Navy aims to put the units into operation by 2023 if the scheme is approved by the government, according to a report to the National Assembly's defense committee for an annual audit.The envisioned aviation command, to be led by a rear admiral-level officer, will be in charge of more than 70 aircraf