The Korea Herald

S. Korea to create special unit to strike at NK wartime leadership

Jan 4, 2017

South Korea will this year launch a special unit tasked with incapacitating North Korea's wartime leadership, two years ahead of schedule, its defense chief said Wednesday, as it strives to better counter Pyongyang's evolving military threats.During its New Year policy briefing to Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, Defense Minister Han Min-koo said the military is putting top priority on beefing up defense capabilities against North Korea's weapons of mass destruction, which incl
Air Force taps 3 female pilots as vice squadron leaders

Jan 3, 2017

South Korea's Air Force said Tuesday it tapped three female pilots as vice commanders of operational squadrons, marking a first for the service.Last month, the three were promoted as the second-in-command of three fighter squadrons, an Air Force spokesman said. (Yonhap)They are Maj. Park Ji-yeon, 38, from the 16th Fighter Wing; Maj. Park Ji-won, 38, from the 8th Fighter Wing; and Maj. Ha Jeong-mi, 37, from the 20th Fighter Wing, the statement said.The main duty of vice commander is to supervise
S. Korea's Marine Corps to deploy new guided missiles to counter NK threat

Jan 1, 2017

South Korea's Marine Corps will get new guided missile systems that will allow its troops to better counter seaborne threats from North Korea, the military said Sunday.The military said that all static 90 mm coastal defense guns, based on the main armament of the vintage M-47 and M-48 tanks, will be replaced by the new 70 mm Low-Cost Guided Imaging Rocket (LOGIR). The new weapons will be deployed by the end of the year."The move will greatly enhance the capability of marines to counter fast-movi
Defense chief stresses new year poses new challenges, calls for preparedness

Jan 1, 2017

South Korea's defense chief stressed Sunday that the new year will pose a new set of challenges and that the country's armed forces must be prepared for all developments.In a New Year's message sent out to the country and more than 600,000 troops, Han Min-koo made clear that the primary role of the armed forces is to fight the enemy and win."The armed forces will fulfill its role in the face of the grave situation the country faces as long at it stays true to this goal," the defense minister sai
Acting president stresses security of country rests on shoulders of troops

Jan 1, 2017

South Korea's acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn said Sunday that the security of the country rests on the shoulders of its armed forces.In a video message sent to troops, Hwang emphasized the grave security situation facing the country.There has been growing speculation that North Korea will engage in some form of provocation in 2017 after detonating two nuclear devices in 2016 and firing off scores of ballistic missiles."The people have faith in the strong willpower and military
Korea could let American troops leave if liberal candidate elected president: US expert

Dec 29, 2016

South Korea could let American troops leave the country if one of the liberal candidates is elected president next year and incoming US President Donald Trump demands Seoul pay more for the troops, a US expert said Wednesday.Max Boot, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, issued the warning in an article in Foreign Policy magazine, saying that troop withdrawal from South Korea could significantly weaken America's standing in the Asia-Pacific region.The expert also noted that Trump
Relocation plan of USFK bases to Pyeongtaek extended to 2018

Dec 25, 2016

The complete relocation of US Army bases to Pyeongtaek has been pushed back by two years to the end of 2018, Gyeonggi Province and Pyeongtaek City said Sunday.The original plan, which started on Jan. 24, 2005, was to finish the relocation at the end of this year. The US Forces Korea headquarters and the Eighth United States Army, both in Yongsan, central Seoul, and the 2nd Infantry Division in northern Gyeonggi Province, are subject to move to Camp Humphreys, a US military garrison in the town o
S. Korea deploys air-to-ground Taurus missiles for combat use

Dec 22, 2016

South Korea's Air Force on Thursday deployed air-to-ground Taurus-class missiles for combat use, which are capable of targeting and destroying North Korea's nuclear and missile facilities at a long distance, officials said.The Taurus missile mounted on F-15K fighter planes can hit key facilities in Pyongyang from the sky over Daejeon, 164 kilometers south of Seoul, they said. The missile has a range of 500 kilometers.The Air Force received the first shipment of the missiles from Germany's Taurus
Army conducts combined arms drill with tanks, armored vehicles

Dec 22, 2016

The South Korean Army said Thursday it conducted a combined arms drill by mobilizing tanks and armored vehicles in a bid to beef up its combat readiness against North Korea's threats.The drill was aimed at boosting the military's combat preparedness in the winter time, involving the infantry, artillery, armor and combat engineer units, the Army said.The combined exercise was conducted at a shooting range in Yangpyeong, outside of Seoul, with about 40 K-1 tanks, K-21 armored fighting vehicles and
Navy conducts military exercise to defend Dokdo islets

Dec 21, 2016

South Korea's Navy on Wednesday conducted a maritime drill to defend the country's easternmost islets of Dokdo in the East Sea, officials said, as Japan has laid persistent claims to the sovereign territory.The Navy kicked off a biannual military exercise to guard Dokdo from unlawful intrusion by mobilizing its warships and maritime patrol planes, it said.If weather conditions permit, the Marine Corps is also expected to conduct a landing drill on the islets, it said.Since 1986, the South Korean
Missile shield dispute casts cloud over Korea-China tourism campaign

Dec 16, 2016

South Korea and China have wrapped up their "Visit Korea Year 2016" campaign in Beijing in a ceremony overshadowed by a diplomatic feud over Seoul's missile shield plan. South Korean Minister of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Cho Yoon-sun and China National Tourism Administration Chairman Li Jinzao presided over the celebration of the yearlong national drive to promote Korean tourism among the Chinese on Thursday.The event came amid growing diplomatic tension over Seoul's decision to set up a U
Japan did not offer military info on N.K. missile test despite intel-sharing pact: source

Dec 15, 2016

Japan did not offer South Korea any intelligence on North Korea's recent test of a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) despite a bilateral intelligence-sharing pact that took effect last month, a government source here said Thursday.The source said that although the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) went into force on Nov. 23, there should be additional consultations over how to enforce the deal -- the first military arrangement between the two neighbors since S
Korea, US, Japan hold talks to discuss cooperation against NK nukes

Dec 13, 2016

Top nuclear envoys of South Korea, the United States and Japan met Tuesday to discuss cooperation against North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threat. Kim Hong-kyun, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs at the ministry, held talks with his US and Japanese counterparts, Joseph Yun and Kenji Kanasugi, at a hotel in Seoul."I think it is indeed meaningful that at this time our three countries are meeting again to have an in-depth discussion on how to further st
Main opposition party demands delay of THAAD deployment

Dec 13, 2016

South Korea's main opposition party on Tuesday demanded the government delay the controversial deployment of an advanced US missile defense system until the next administration as President Park Geun-hye faces impeachment over corruption allegations.The remark came four days after the parliament approved Park's impeachment, signaling major changes to her key policies opposed by the opposition bloc. Her fate hinges on a Constitutional Court decision due in six months.South Korea has been seeking
Defense ministry to quicken THAAD deployment amid post-impeachment row

Dec 11, 2016

South Korea is moving to hasten the deployment of an advanced U.S. missile defense system and finish its installation by May at the latest in the face of political uncertainty caused by the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye, government sources said Sunday. "The deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system seemingly doesn't require much (preparatory) time, since the Seongju golf course is already equipped with power and water supply facilities, and a traffic system," said an