The Korea Herald

[NEWS FOCUS] How will next U.S. president affect Seoul-Washington alliance?

Apr 28, 2016

Donald Trump, the flamboyant Republican front-runner for the 2016 U.S. presidential election, reaffirmed his claim that the America’s allies are not shouldering what he viewed as a “fair share” of the costs for U.S. military support.The prominent candidate’s remarks raised speculation in South Korea about the possible changes that the new U.S. administration may bring after November’s elections. Donald Trump (AFP)Democrat Hilary Clinton and Trump appear all but certain to clinch their spots as
Seoul urges CICA to play ‘special role’ in preventing Pyongyang‘s nuke test

Apr 28, 2016

South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se on Thursday called for members of a regional security conference, led by Russia and China, to play a "special role" in preventing North Korea from conducting another nuclear test. There have been signs that North Korea may conduct its fifth nuclear test ahead of its rare party congress early next month, in order to build credential for the North Korean leader's twin pursuit of economic development and nuclear weapons. "The eyes of the world are now on N
Park warns against N.K. provocations

Apr 28, 2016

President Park Geun-hye on Thursday warned against North Korea's additional nuclear test, stressing that South Korea would never condone any provocative acts that would destabilize regional security.During a Cabinet meeting, she ordered the government to maintain robust preparedness to ensure national security. Her warning came amid signs of the communist regime preparing for yet another nuclear test at its northeastern Punggye-ri site."Ahead of its seventh party congress, Pyongyang has been pre
Blinken: N.K. nuclear or missile test ‘certainly possible’ ahead of Workers‘ Party Congress

Apr 28, 2016

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken said Wednesday it is "certainly possible" for North Korea to undertake a nuclear or missile test ahead of a key meeting of the Workers' Party next week."We can anticipate that there'll be more to come," Blinken said of North Korean provocations during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing. "It's certainly possible in advance of the Korean Workers' Party congress, which is to take place on May the 6th, that the regime will do something else -- an
Trump: U.S. allies should pay more or defend themselves

Apr 28, 2016

U.S. Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump said Wednesday that American allies should pay more for U.S. defense support or defend themselves on their own.Trump made the remark during a major foreign policy speech, a day after he won all of the five primaries at stake on Tuesday and moved a step closer to clinching the nomination.The real-estate tycoon has long made the case for making allies shoulder more of the costs necessary for American troop presence and defense support, but Wed
Pyongyang preparing assault exercise on replica of Seoul's presidential office: military

Apr 27, 2016

North Korea is preparing to launch a large-scale artillery drill on a replica of the South Korean presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in a move to fan cross-border tension in the runup to a rare congress of its ruling party, the military here said Wednesday.About 30 artillery pieces have been brought to a training range just outside Pyongyang where the replica of Cheong Wa Dae was set up in early April, a Joint Chiefs of Staff official said. "The North is likely to conduct an actual exercise in th
N. Korea warns of nuclear strike on U.S. unless it changes hostile policy

Apr 27, 2016

North Korea said Wednesday the United States will face a nuclear strike unless it changes its hostile policy toward the communist country. The Rodong Sinmun, an organ of the North's ruling Workers' Party, said in a commentary that the U.S. must make the strategic decision to either give up its hostile policy toward North Korea or find itself subject to a nuclear strike."Our patient proposals were completely denied by the United Sates," said the newspaper, adding the North has so far made various
U.S. to look at ‘other options’ against N. Korea in case of fifth nuclear test: State Department

Apr 27, 2016

The United States will look at "other options" to increase pressure on North Korea and strengthen defense of allies if Pyongyang conducts yet another nuclear test, a State Department spokesman said Tuesday.South Korean President Park Geun-hye said earlier Tuesday that the North has "completed preparations for a fifth nuclear test and it is in a situation in which it can carry out the test at any time. She also warned of stronger sanctions against Pyongyang."We're going to look at other options a
Obama: U.S. could ‘destroy Pyongyang’ but proximity to Seoul should be considered

Apr 27, 2016

U.S. President Barack Obama said the U.S. could "destroy North Korea with our arsenals," but its proximity to ally South Korea should be considered in addition to humanitarian costs associated with such action.Obama made the remark in an interview with CBS that aired Tuesday, talking about difficulties handling the communist regime that he described as "a massive challenge." Obama also called the North "erratic enough" and the country's leader, Kim Jong-un, "irresponsible enough that we don't wa
U.S. House committee calls for greater trilateral cooperation with S. Korea, Japan

Apr 26, 2016

The U.S. House Armed Services Committee called for greater security cooperation between the United States, South Korea and Japan as it put forward a draft defense budget bill for next year on Monday."Japan and the Republic of Korea are both treaty allies and critically important security partners of the United States," the legislation said. "Japan and South Korea confront a range of shared challenges to their national security and to stability in the Asia-Pacific region, including the multitude
Outgoing USFK chief says vigilance needed against N.K.‘s 'persistent, proximate' threats

Apr 25, 2016

The South Korea-United States alliance must be vigilant against North Korea's "persistent and proximate" threats as the country is developing its ballistic missile capabilities and readying for a fifth nuclear test, the top American commander here said Monday in his farewell ceremony."Just these last few days, we have witnessed attempts to develop ballistic missile capabilities, as well as claims North Korea will do a fifth nuclear test soon," Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti said in the South Korean Joi
One soldier killed, 6 others injured as military vehicle

Apr 25, 2016

A K-55 self-propelled artillery vehicle overturned in the southeastern South Korean city of Pohang on Monday, killing a service member and injuring six others with one in critical condition, military officials said. During the 10:15 a.m. accident, the Marine Corps vehicle veered off an unpaved road on a hill en route to a training ground in the city, located some 400 kilometers from the capital Seoul, and ditched 5 meters before overturning according to the officials.The vehicle, the last of 19
U.S. defense bill calls for assessing capabilities to quickly deploy forces to Korean Peninsula

Apr 21, 2016

The U.S. defense budget bill for next year calls for the government auditor to assess the U.S. Transportation Command's capabilities to rapidly deploy forces to the Korean Peninsula from the mainland U.S. and elsewhere.The House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness included the assessment requirement in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (H.R. 4909), citing "new and increasingly threatening dynamics," according to congressional records."U.S. and Republic of Korea for
S. Korea picks Hanwha Thales for KF-X radar project

Apr 20, 2016

The South Korean military on Wednesday selected Hanwha Thales as its priority negotiation partner in development of the advanced radar for homegrown fighter jet project, officials said. According to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, the state-run Agency for Defense Development chose the local supplier -- the defense affiliate of Hanwha Group -- as the preferred bidder for the Active Electronically Scanned Array radar. The radar will be for the Korean Fighter Experimental, or KF-X,
Military conducts drill to counter N.K. rear infiltration

Apr 20, 2016

The South Korean Army said Wednesday that it has completed its largest-ever drill to counter rear area infiltration by North Korean troops in the event of war.South Korea's 2nd Operations Command said that the military finished a three-day exercise earlier Wednesday, which focused on crushing a possible amphibious assault by North Korean troops along the country's western coast.The exercise involved 27 units from the Army, the Navy and the Air Force, mobilizing more than 3,300 personnel and mili