American troops in South Korea won't be distracted by the war of words between Pyongyang and Washington, focusing on maintaining combat readiness, a US defense official said Wednesday."All of the talk by civilian political leaders does not change our mission... to provide the ROK (South Korea)-US alliance with solid military capability in case we are called upon," the US Forces Korea official said.Military tensions here have escalated amid North Korea's threats and provocative acts and a tough U

The leader of the main opposition party will visit the United States next month to highlight the need for the redeployment of US tactical nukes to the Korean Peninsula to counter growing threats from North Korea, party officials said Wednesday.Hong Joon-pyo, the chief of the conservative Liberty Korea Party, will embark on a five-day visit on Oct. 23, during which he will have talks with US diplomatic and security officials, and scholars over the nuclear standoff.His delegation includes Vice Nat

South Korea has successfully tested a counter-missile system for use by military aircraft carrying special forces deep into enemy territory, officials here said Wednesday.The trial of the indigenous directional infrared countermeasures system was conducted in July at the Anheung test site of the state-run Agency for Defense Development."There was a successful outcome (to the testing)," a military official said on customary condition of anonymity prior to a formal announcement by the relevant aut

A mine countermeasures ship in the US Navy made a port call at a southern port of South Korea on Tuesday, the allies' navies said.The USS Chief (MCM-14), an Avenger-class vessel, pulled into the Jeju Naval Base as part of a routine port visit, US Naval Forces Korea said."Chief is part of Mine Countermeasures Squadron 7 and Amphibious Force 7th Fleet, which is training to enhance its capabilities of finding, classifying and destroying moored and bottom mines," it said.The ship was greeted by Capt

South Korea replaced its number two military officer on Tuesday in a shake-up that also promoted 10 two-star Army generals to the rank of lieutenant general.Lt. Gen. Lee Jong-sup, the commanding general of the 7th Army Corps, was tapped as the deputy chairman of the JCS, according to the Ministry of National Defense.Lt. Gen. Koo Hong-moo, who leads the Capital Defense Command, was named the deputy Army chief of staff.Lt. Gen. Kim Jung-soo, commander of the Army's 27th Division, will succeed Koo,

A top US military commander in South Korea on Tuesday stressed the significance of enhancing the integrated air power of the allies against North Korea armed with nuclear weapons.Lt. Gen. Thomas Bergeson, the 7th Air Force commander, said the emergency of the North's nuclear threat has made the value of the "seamless control of airspace" even more important.He pointed out air power's precise targeting, flexibility, speed and range were proven in past conflicts, including the Gulf War. Lt. Gen. T

South Korean defense firms are stepping up efforts to fight hacking, the Ministry of National Defense said Tuesday, following a news report that North Korea stole secret information on submarine-based missile launch technology from a company here.Among 99 defense firms in the South, around 70 percent are preparing to separate their internal networks from outside web services, the ministry's spokesman Moon Sang-gyun said, citing data compiled in early July."The remaining companies are also making

South Korea's military has decided to purchase more T-50 advanced trainer jets from a local producer, the nation's arms agency said Monday.The decision was made at the 105th session of the weapons procurement committee, presided over by Defense Minister Song Young-moo, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration.The panel did not specify the model or number of planes to be bought, only saying it will be a "domestic purchase" program.It strongly indicates that the T-50 Golden Eagl

Former top Army operational strategist explains South Korea’s defense against North Korean attack

South Korea and the United States will hold working-level defense talks in Seoul later this week on North Korea and pending alliance issues, the Ministry of National Defense said Monday.The two-day Korea-US Integrated Defense Dialogue meeting, the 12th of its kind, is to open Thursday at the ministry's building in Seoul. This image representing South Korea-US defense talks was provided by Yonhap News TV. (Yonhap)The two sides plan to discuss a range of security issues including policy coordinati

The relocation of South Korea's state defense university to a city south of Seoul has been completed after a decade of administrative and construction works, the defense ministry said Monday.Defense Minister Song Young-moo plans to host a ceremony Tuesday to mark the end of the Korean National Defense University's 62-year-long presence in Seoul and the opening of the new campus in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province.More than 600 dignitaries and others are expected to attend the event to be held

South Korea's military unit tasked with chemical, biological and radiological defense said Monday it will offer international training this week in partnership with a relevant global agency.Fifteen delegates from a dozen Asian member states of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons will join the five-day program to open here later in the day, according to the CBR Defense Command.The countries include Nepal, Pakistan, Iran and the Philippines, it added. This file photo shows for

President Moon Jae-in convened a National Security Council meeting on Sunday to monitor North Korea and review South Korea's countermeasures for potential provocations by the communist country, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said.President Moon Jae-in. YonhapThe plenary NSC meeting was held in the evening for more than two hours and brought together Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon, the chiefs of the unification, defense, and home ministries as well as the presidential chief of staff, Moon's ch

The South Korean defense industry's job creation remains much lower than that in the United States and Israel despite Seoul's large defense spending, a report said Sunday.South Korea's defense spending accounts for approximately 10 percent of its overall budget, but the industry takes up a mere 0.9 percent of total manufacturing jobs, according to the report by the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade. President Moon Jae-in speaks during a visit to the defense ministry on May 17, 2

South Korea's military court issued a warrant for the arrest of Army Gen. Park Chan-ju accused of receiving bribes from a civilian firm seeking favors in a base-related project during his service as the commanding general of the 2nd Operational Command. (Yonhap)Park was removed from the commanding post last month amid fierce public criticism over his alleged abuse of power and human rights violations against "housekeeping soldiers," who were assigned to serve at his residence.ABMilitary prosecut