The Korea Herald

‘U.S. to shift focus to air and sea for Korea defense’

Jan 14, 2015

This is the fourth installment in a special New Year’s series of interviews with preeminent scholars on international politics and security. ― Ed.The U.S. security commitment to South Korea will come more in the form of air and naval power than ground troops in the future, a U.S. security expert said, noting the need for America to maintain highly mobile forces to handle evolving security challenges around the world.In an interview with The Korea Herald, Aaron Friedberg, professor of politics an
Korea, U.S. to conduct military drills in March

Jan 13, 2015

South Korea and the United States plan to carry out a large-scale joint military exercise in early March, a source here said Tuesday, despite North Korea’s recent calls for halting joint drills this year.Last week, Pyongyang sent a message to Washington expressing its will to temporarily suspend nuclear tests if the U.S. halts its joint military exercises with South Korea this year, though the U.S. effectively spurned the offer.The military source said Key Resolve, one of the two major annual co
Defense Ministry integrity rated lowest in decade

Jan 13, 2015

The integrity level for the Defense Ministry dipped to its lowest point in 2013 in nearly a decade due to a series of corruption cases, according to the ministry’s 2014 compilation of defense statistics released on Tuesday.In a state integrity survey, the ministry scored 7.12 points in 2013, with 10 being the highest level.From 2008-2012, during the Lee Myung-bak administration, the ministry scored between 8.15 and 8.98, while from 2004-2007, during the Roh Moo-hyun administration, it scored bet
S. Korea, U.S. to conduct annual military drills in March

Jan 13, 2015

South Korea and the United States plan to carry out a large-scale joint military exercise in early March, a source here said Tuesday, despite North Korea's recent calls for halting joint drills this year.Last week, Pyongyang sent a message to Washington expressing its will to temporarily suspend nuclear tests if the U.S. halts its joint military exercises with South Korea this year, though the U.S. effectively spurned the offer.The military source said Key Resolve, one of the two major annual co
Military bolsters coastal monitoring system

Jan 12, 2015

South Korea’s military procurement agency said Monday that it had completed the deployment of an integrated monitoring system to reinforce the defense of vulnerable areas along the country’s eastern, western and southern coasts. Before deploying the 250 or so pieces of coastal monitoring equipment including thermal observation devices, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration carried out consultations with some 2,000 local residents about the deployment over the past 18 months, officials s
S. Korea, U.S. to conduct joint naval drill this week

Jan 12, 2015

South Korea and the United States plan to carry out a two-day joint naval drill this week on South Korea's east coast as part of efforts to enhance their joint military readiness, officers here said Monday.The allies "are scheduled to conduct the exercise for two days starting Tuesday in the East Sea," a naval officer here said, requesting anonymity.The joint exercise involves two U.S. Aegis destroyers, including the 9,200-ton USS Mustin (DDG 89), which arrived at the port city of Donghae on Sun
Navy to set up submarine command next month

Jan 11, 2015

The South Korean Navy will set up a submarine command next month as part of efforts to boost the country‘s underwater capabilities, a naval officer said Sunday.“The submarine command will be established on Feb. 1 in the southern port city of Jinhae after extending the current 9th submarine flotilla,” the naval officer said, requesting anonymity.The new command will be in charge of the naval underwater capabilities under the leadership of a two-star general, he added.“It will operate nine 1,200-t
S. Korean Navy to set up submarine command next month

Jan 11, 2015

The South Korean Navy will set up a submarine command next month as part of efforts to boost the country's underwater capabilities, a naval officer said Sunday."The submarine command will be established on Feb. 1 in the southern port city of Jinhae after extending the current 9th submarine flotilla," the naval officer said, requesting anonymity.The new command will be in charge of the naval underwater capabilities under the leadership of a two-star general, he added."It will operate nine 1,200-t
N.K. bolsters underwater warfare capabilities

Jan 9, 2015

N.K. submarine equipped with vertical launch tubes: U.S. think tank
Military to relieve troops of non-combat roles

Jan 8, 2015

The Defense Ministry plans to relieve some 2,500 troops of their military support missions and reassign them to combat positions by 2019, as it seeks to open noncombat missions to civilian staff.The ministry said Thursday that it had established a basic plan to open some military jobs to civilians for 2015-19. The sectors include laundry, disposal of military waste, operations of post exchanges and maintenance of military equipment.The plan comes amid criticism that assigning soldiers for such p
Defense firm exec gets jail term for leaking military secrets

Jan 8, 2015

A local court sentenced an executive of a South Korean defense company to four years in prison Thursday for leaking military secrets to more than two dozen domestic and foreign firms.Last July, the 52-year-old executive, identified only by his surname Kim, was indicted on charges of collecting classified military documents and passing them on to 25 companies at home and abroad between 2008 and June last year.The leaked documents contained information about some 31 defense enhancement projects, i
[Graphic News] Comparison of two Koreas’ military strength

Jan 7, 2015
S. Korea to set up ground operations command in 2018

Jan 7, 2015

The South Korean military plans to establish a command to be in charge of the Army's ground operations in 2018 as part of efforts to guarantee more efficient and stronger field operations, government sources said Wednesday.Under its comprehensive plan to reform the military structure to ensure more flexible troop management, the government has pushed to merge its 1st and 3rd Armies to create the Ground Operations Command to lead frontline units."At the end of last year, the defense ministry deci
Seoul reports N.K. progress in nuke capability

Jan 6, 2015

Pyongyang adds 12th Corps to border guard: defense whitepaper
Frenchman indicted for smuggling defense secrets

Jan 6, 2015

The prosecution said Tuesday it indicted the former head of the Korean branch of a France-based defense firm without physical detention on the charge of collecting secrets from the Korean military.The 65-year-old suspect, whose name was withheld by authorities, is believed to have illegally acquired military secrets from August 2012 to April 2014, according to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office. He supposedly received the information from a South Korean defense broker surnamed Kim, a