Defense Minister Shin Won-sik called Monday for a strong readiness posture against North Korea as he made his first visit to a front-line military unit in his new role. Shin, who took office Saturday, was briefed on border operations at the Army's 1st Infantry Division in Paju, just south of the Demilitarized Zone, and ordered a firm military readiness posture. "We should make North Korea feel that they stand to lose more than they gain in order to deter provocations," Shin said.

South Korea’s military has indicted a former Marine investigator for disobeying the defense minister’s orders not to refer a probe into a Marine’s death to police, and for later defaming the minister by publicly suggesting that the chief had wanted to let accused generals off the hook. “The charges laid out today amount to a violation that could seriously hurt discipline and morale among troops,” military prosecutors said in a statement, adding that efforts will be

Half of US citizens favor using American troops to defend South Korea in the event of a North Korean invasion, a recent US poll showed Thursday, underscoring the public polarization over the security issue. The Chicago Council on Global Affairs recently released the outcome of the 2023 Chicago Council Survey conducted by Ipsos, a market research firm, from Sept. 7-18. The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points. The poll found that 50 percent of those questioned support

A senior US diplomat said Thursday South Korea, the United States and Japan already have "strong" security partnerships to address North Korean threats, following an academic proposal to consider a deterrence policy that signals the possibility of preemptive military action. Bonnie Jenkins, undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, made the remarks, a day after Victor Cha, senior vice president for Asia and Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and Internat

The intelligence authorities of South Korea and the United States are closely monitoring North Korea for signs the reclusive regime appears to have halted operations of a nuclear reactor in its Yongbyon nuclear complex, Seoul's defense ministry said Thursday. The Dong-A Ilbo earlier reported the allies' intelligence authorities have detected signs indicating the 5-megawatt reactor temporarily stopped operations late last month, and South Korean and US officials believe the move could be related

The America-Korea United Society (AKUS), a New Jersey-based civic group, said Thursday it will hold an event in the United States to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the South Korea-US alliance. AKUS said the ceremony will be held at the Fort Lee Community Center in New Jersey at 5 p.m. on Oct. 1 (US time) under the theme of "We Go Together." South Korea and the US signed the Mutual Defense Treaty, a bedrock alliance document, in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 1, 1953, three months after t

Defense Minister nominee Shin Won-sik vowed Wednesday to "firmly punish" North Korea in the event of military provocations and warned the regime will come to an end should it conduct a nuclear attack. Shin, a ruling People Power Party lawmaker who retired as a three-star Army general and is known for his expertise in defense policy and military operations, made the remarks during his confirmation hearing at the National Assembly. "I will build a powerful defense posture that overw

South Korea's ambassador to the United States on Tuesday called the apparent strengthening of cooperation between Russia and North Korea "most concerning," while stressing Seoul and Washington will "not sit idly by." Ambassador Cho Hyun-dong made the remarks amid concerns that a recent summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un might have led to an arms deal feared to help enhance Pyongyang's military capabilities and support

US Forces Korea also participate in street parade for 1st time to highlight 'ironclad' alliance

South Korea's defense minister nominee has said the inter-Korean military agreement should be abolished in light of its adverse security implications for South Korea in a written statement submitted to the National Assembly. The nominee, Rep. Shin Won-sik of the ruling People Power Party, who previously served as a three-star general, repeatedly reiterated his critical stance on the inter-Korean comprehensive military agreement that was signed on Sept. 19 during the inter-Korean summit in 2

Military sees relative increase in drug-related cases, but lacks disciplinary action, strict punishment

South Korea and the United States kicked off a combined naval exercise in the East Sea on Monday to reinforce readiness against growing military threats from North Korea, the Navy said. The three-day exercise involved nine vessels and two patrol aircraft from the two sides, including two South Korean submarines, the ROKS Yulgok Yi I destroyer, the USS Shoup Aegis-equipped destroyer and the USS Robert Smalls cruiser, the Navy said. The Navy said the anti-submarine warfare and live-fire drills wer

Seoul and Washington embarked on their inaugural joint underwater search operation, aiming to locate the wreckage of a US fighter jet and the remains of American pilots who lost their lives during the 1950-53 Korean War in the waters of the East Sea on the Korean Peninsula. South Korea's Ministry of National Defense Agency for Killed in Action Recovery Identification (MAKRI) and the US Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) commenced a three-week retrieval operation on Sept. 7 in the wate

A KF-16 fighter jet crashed during takeoff from its base in the southwestern county of Seosan on Thursday, and the lone pilot safely ejected before being taken to a hospital, the Air Force said. The jet belonging to the 20th Fighter Wing went down at the base in Seosan, some 120 kilometers southwest of Seoul, at 8:20 a.m. while taking off on an unspecified mission, the Air Force said. "The pilot has made an emergency ejection and is safe," the Air Force said in a text message to report

South Korean and US defense officials discussed possible space cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow during a bilateral tabletop exercise on space this week, Seoul's defense ministry said Wednesday. Choi Byung-ok, head of the ministry's defense policy bureau, and John Hill, US deputy assistant secretary of defense for space and missile defense, led the discussion-based exercise, as well as working-level talks, from Tuesday to Wednesday at the ministry in central Seoul. The exercise