South Korea and Japan have begun sharing military intelligence on North Korea under a trilateral agreement with the United States, a U.S. defense official said Wednesday.In December, the three countries signed a memorandum of understanding that calls for voluntary sharing of military secrets on North Korea's nuclear and missile programs between the three countries. The deal paved the way for Seoul and Tokyo to share such intelligence via the U.S. after the two countries failed to strike a bilate

Experts call on both Koreas to strive harder to restore trust and cooperationSixty-five years after the outbreak of the Korean War, the two Koreas face the daunting task that the armed conflict has left behind -- replacing the current “armistice regime” with a permanent peace regime on the Korean Peninsula.In the 1990s and 2000s, Seoul and Pyongyang moved to lay the groundwork for the peace system, but their efforts failed due to the communist state’s nuclear ambitions, and the two sides’ politi

On the back of new momentum for thawing ties, South Korea and Japan are to expedite exchanges and cooperation in defense fields, Defense Ministry officials said Wednesday.Such moves come after the leaders of the neighboring countries called for progress earlier this week in bilateral relations long weighed down by history issues."Working-level talks for policy coordination between officials of the defense ministries are planned this fall," an official said."The planned meeting is meant to assess

The U.S. nuclear-powered submarine USS Michigan made a port call Tuesday in South Korea's southeastern port city of Busan to conduct diverse missions and showcase its latest capabilities, the group in charge of its operation said.The 18,000-ton submarine, one of the world's largest, arrived at a Busan base with some 165 crew members to "conduct a multitude of missions and showcase the latest capabilities of the submarine fleet," the U.S. Navy's Submarine Group Seven said in a release.The submari

The U.S. strategic commander reaffirmed his commitment Tuesday to strong deterrence against potential threats by North Korea.Adm. Cecil Haney, who leads the U.S. Strategic Command, made the remarks while in Seoul for a four-day trip starting Sunday at a time when tensions remain heightened on the Korean Peninsula over North Korea's continued provocative actions.Haney's trip here is part of his visit to the Asia-Pacific region, which also includes stops in Hawaii, Japan and Alaska.The visit to So

South Korea's trade dependence on Japan has dropped to the lowest level in decades, apparently affected by their worsening diplomatic ties and the global economic slowdown, a report showed Thursday.According to the report by the Korea International Trade Association, South Korea's trade with Japan during the January-May period of this year accounted for 7.6 percent of its total volume of imports and exports.The ratio is the lowest since both countries normalized diplomatic relations in 1965 when

The Defense Ministry is seeking a 7.2 percent increase in its budget for next year to beef up its capabilities to counter North Korea’s growing threats and improve the military service environment. The ministry said Wednesday it requested the Finance Ministry to set aside 40.14 trillion won ($36.2 billion) for 2016. Nearly 70 percent of the proposed budget, or 27.76 trillion won, is allocated to raise the salary for enlistees, newly provide them with child support and enhance the living environm

Army chaplains of South Korea and the United States staged their first-ever joint drills in Seoul on Tuesday as part of the allies’ efforts to cultivate the officers’ roles during wartime, military officials said.Some 100 Catholic priests, pastors and Buddhist monks in the two countries’ militaries, as well as medics and interpreter officers, are taking part in the three-day field training exercise at the Special Warfare Command, according to the South Korean Army. The chaplains provide spiritua

Defense Minister Han Min-koo visited a military medical center Sunday for MERS patients to help soothe the growing concerns over the disease that has claimed 14 lives in the country over the past weeks.Han arrived at the medical center at the Osan air base in Osan, Gyeonggi Province, 55 kilometers south of Seoul, early in the morning, the Defense Ministry said in a statement, adding Han asked the medics to be fully prepared for any additional breakouts of the disease among servicemembers.No conf

Two U.S. fighter jets made an emergency landing at a South Korean air base after suspected problems with their fuselage, military officers said Friday.   The F-16 jets landed at Wonju Air Base in Gangwon Province, 132 kilometers south of Seoul, on Thursday while taking part in a shooting training session at a range in the nearby mountain of Taebaek, they said.   "Upon detecting signs of problems with the bodies of the planes, the pilots, affiliated with the U.S. Air Force 8th Fighter Wing in the

U.S. President Barack Obama approved a civilian nuclear energy cooperation deal with South Korea on Thursday, saying it will promote the "common defense and security."  In April, the two countries initialed the revision to their 1974 nuclear cooperation pact after more than four years of negotiations to reconcile Seoul's demand for the right to reprocess spent nuclear fuel and enrich uranium with Washington's concerns about proliferation.   The new deal still bans Seoul from reprocessing and enr

The U.S. State Department has approved a proposed sale to South Korea of Aegis combat systems that will be used to arm the country's next-generation destroyers.  South Korea has asked to buy 3 Aegis Shipboard Combat Systems, associated equipment, parts and logistical support and the State Department approved the proposed sale, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said.  The total estimated cost is $1.91 billion, it said.  "The Aegis Combat System will provide enhanced capabilities on the ROK'

A Seoul appellate court has upheld the guilty verdict of a former naval officer who was convicted of bribery tied to a faulty rescue and salvage ship that failed to save lives during a deadly ferry sinking last year.  The former Navy lieutenant, identified only by his family name Jeong, was found guilty of receiving 308 million won ($275,000) between 2010 and 2012 from a parts supplier he helped win contracts to provide mooring equipment for the nation's first rescue and salvage ship, the Tongye