South Korea said Tuesday it has started to assemble the first prototype of a light armed helicopter with the goal of conducting a test flight in 2019.The Defense Acquisition Program Administration, the country's arms procurement agency, launched the development project in June 2015 to replace the aging 500MD and AH-1S choppers in partnership with Korea Aerospace Industries. A model of South Korea`s new light armed helicopter in a photo provided by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (

South Korea's defense ministry said Sunday it is reviewing ways to conduct an environmental survey for the US anti-missile system being deployed on its soil, but nothing specific has been decided. "The ministry is in talks with related government agencies over ways to adequately carry out an environmental assessment on the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, and nothing at this stage has been decided yet," it said in a statement.  (Yonhap)The release came in response to some local media reports

The US military in South Korea said Friday that the deployment process of the US advanced missile defense system in South Korea was “transparent,” in response to President Moon Jae-in’s claim that the process was mysteriously accelerated. In an email to The Korea Herald, the United States Forces Korea said that the US was fully transparent with the Korean government throughout the process, highlighting that Washington trusts South Korea’s official stance that the THAAD deployment was an alliance

The deepening controversy over the now suspended deployment of an advanced US missile defense system in South Korea will likely be one of the major issues to be discussed between their leaders when they meet in Washington later this month, experts said Sunday.South Korean President Moon Jae-in is to meet with his US counterpart Donald Trump on Thursday and Friday (local time) in their first face-to-face talk since they both took office. (Yonhap)The summit takes place amid growing worries that th

When former Navy chief Song Young-moo was nominated as the first minister of defense for the Moon Jae-in administration last week, hopes were high that the retired admiral will bring sweeping reforms. In his first meeting with reporters after being nominated, Song laid out his vision with confidence. Describing the current security challenges as being paradigm-shifting, he pledged to “rebuild” the military by eradicating dubious military contracts.But the path for Song’s appointment is likely to

South Korea said Thursday it has completed a yearslong project to acquire the depot maintenance capability for the nation's advanced FA-50 light combat fighter jet.It will enable the military to save around 450 billion won ($390 million) in costs for the operation and maintenance of the fleet over the next 30 years, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration. A FA-50 light combat jet conducts a bombing exercise in this photo provided by the Defense Acquisition Program Administra

South Korea on Thursday repatriated the remains of an apparent American soldier killed in the Korean War, a show of the allies' commitment to never forget the wartime sacrifice of their troops.The remains were discovered in Yeongdong, a small village in North Chungcheong Province, at the end of March.Based on an initial analysis, the Ministry of Defense Agency for KIA Recovery & ID identified the remains belonging to a US service member. The area was a fierce battlefield in the early month of th

South Korea's new administration has no plans to scale back the number of joint exercises between its military and US troops stationed here or downsize their scope, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in a recent interview with US broadcaster CBS aired Wednesday (Seoul time)."During my campaign, I never mentioned the downsizing or adjusting of the Korea-US combined military exercises," the president said.Moon's remarks came after his special security adviser Moon Chung-in insisted Seoul and

UIJEONGBU -- A top US military commander in South Korea said he can't overemphasize the need for more combined exercises between the two countries, citing the seriousness of North Korea's weapons of mass destruction threats."I am never satisfied. I want to do more training." said Maj. Gen. Theodore D. Martin, the commanding general of the 2nd Infantry Division. "I want all training to be combined just like we got a saying, 'Train like you fight.' We want to get to very high-level live-fire exerc

Two US long-range strategic bombers will train with South Korea's fighter jets over the peninsula later Tuesday as part of a regular combined exercise, defense officials said."Our Air Force plans to hold a joint drill with two B-1Bs in the sky of the Korean Peninsula today," Lt. Col. Kim Sung-duk, a public relations officer of the South Korean Air Force, told reporters.The B-1B Lancers are scheduled to fly over Korea for a few hours along with two F-15K fighter jets, he added.(Yonhap)He pointed

South Korea said Monday it will hold a combined live-fire naval exercise with the United States and Canada this week in its southern waters.Hosted by South Korea's Maritime Task Flotilla Seven, the three-day training exercise will be staged in waters near Jeju Island from Friday, according to the Navy. (Yonhap)It will involve five South Korean warships, including the Aegis cruiser DDG-992 Yulgok Yii, P-3C Orion maritime surveillance aircraft and Lynx multi-role planes as well as the USS Dewey (D