The Korea Herald

Soldiers’ crimes against civilians grow

Aug 25, 2014

The number of crimes by soldiers against civilians has risen in recent years, according to data from the Ministry of National Defense and the nation’s armed services.The total number of criminal cases involving service members, which stood at 2,910 in 2011, rose to 2,975 in 2012 and 3,757 last year. As of June 30 this year, the number was tallied at 1,841, according to the data obtained by Saenuri Party Rep. Shon In-chun.Last year, traffic-related crimes accounted for 28.9 percent of the total c
Korea, China in talks over air zones

Aug 25, 2014

South Korea is in discussions with China and other neighboring countries to prevent any accidental clashes over its expanded air defense identification zone, the defense ministry said Monday.In December last year, South Korea announced the new Korean air defense identification zone to counter China’s unilateral declaration of its own. The move aimed to bolster Seoul’s sovereignty over a reef and other islands off the southern coast of the Korean Peninsula.“South Korea is in talks with China, Jap
Budget cuts may undercut Korea’s defense: U.S. group

Aug 24, 2014

Organization stresses ‘Strategic Landpower’ for peninsular defense
Defense ministry finds hacking attempts against its reporters

Aug 22, 2014

Unidentified hackers, suspected to be based in China, have been caught trying to steal data from media reporters covering South Korea's Ministry of National Defense, ministry officials said Friday."We've confirmed that a handful of reporters covering the ministry have received an e-mail which carries the malicious code this week," a ministry official said, explaining that once the email is opened, it automatically imbeds the virus code into the computer."The code embedded into the computer is me
Army to dissolve abuse-fraught units

Aug 20, 2014

Investigations are underway into more than a dozen newly reported cases of harassment and other physical and sexual abuses at barracks around the country, the Army said Wednesday, after a spate of such incidents marred the military’s image and sparked public ire.The cases were detected during surveys of service members and inspections into units in the wake of a series of gruesome cases, including the death of an Army private first class surnamed Yoon after he was hit by his senior comrades. Dub
Ex-cybercommanders involved in online smear campaign

Aug 19, 2014

The Ministry of National Defense said Tuesday that its investigators had booked 21 former and current cyberagents including two former cyberwarfare commanders in connection with a high-profile online smear campaign scandal.Wrapping up its 10-month-long probe into the case, the ministry’s Central Investigation Command spared National Security Office chief Kim Kwan-jin, who served as the defense minister when the scandal erupted, of any charges, saying that he was unaware of the case.The CIC had l
(Photo News) In the wrong place

Aug 19, 2014

Police tackle a man who was walking down a street in Ferguson, Missouri, Monday. The man appeared to be walking past a group that had been assembled nearby while police were telling everyone to keep walking. (AP-Yonhap)
Court denies arrest warrant for Gyeonggi governor’s son

Aug 19, 2014

The military court on Tuesday rejected the Army prosecution’s request for an arrest warrant for the eldest son of Gyeonggi Province Gov. Nam Kyung-pil, who has been charged with beating and sexually harassing two of his junior colleagues at his unit of the Army’s 6th Division.The court said that given that Nam’s son, a 23-year-old corporal, admitted to the charges and the victims do not want him to be punished, there was little possibility that he would flee or destroy any evidence concerning th
Korea, U.S. begin joint war drill to deter N.K.

Aug 18, 2014

South Korea and the United States on Monday began their annual two-week joint war exercise to test and improve their joint defense posture against North Korea amid the North‘s stronger-than-usual threats against the drill.The computer-aided Ulchi Freedom Guardian kicked off for a 12-day run, mobilizing some 50,000 South Korean forces and 30,000 U.S. servicemen, including some 3,000 from its homeland and other overseas bases.With the training expected to include diverse defense drills to curb Nor
North Korea criticizes Park’s proposals as trite, insincere

Aug 17, 2014

Pyongyang rebukes allies for upcoming drills, warns of preemptive strikes
Gyeonggi governor’s son probed for military abuse

Aug 17, 2014

Military authorities are investigating the first son of Gyeonggi Province Gov. Nam Kyung-pil on charges of beating and sexually harassing his junior colleagues at his unit of the Army’s 6th Division in Pocheon of the province, according to Army officials.Nam’s 23-year-old son, a corporal, allegedly beat a 21-year-old private first class for not properly carrying out his duty. The corporal is also purported to have hugged a 19-year-old private first class and hit an area near his pants’ zipper.Th
N. Korea fires five short-range rockets

Aug 14, 2014

Pyongyang urges Seoul to cancel sanctions, military drill with U.S.
Calls mount for change in rigid military culture

Aug 13, 2014

Calls are mounting for a fundamental change in Korea’s closed, rigid military culture after a string of bullying and abuse cases at frontline barracks has resulted in suicide and even a shooting spree.The military has been striving to ameliorate the culture through a series of measures including strengthening human rights education and counseling programs. But skepticism runs high over the anti-abuse efforts with critics arguing that the military should take more effective, tougher steps rather
Park demands end to military abuses

Aug 13, 2014

Defense Ministry announces package of anti-violence measures
Military to offer rewards for reporting abuse at barracks

Aug 13, 2014

The defense ministry said Wednesday it plans to introduce a system of compensating conscripts for reporting violence at barracks as part of efforts to eradicate deep-rooted ills and reform an outdated military culture.The plan, unveiled at a meeting of major military commanders presided over by President Park Geun-hye, comes following a series of deadly incidents involving enlistees that has laid bare a decades-old ill practice of bullying and even assaults in barracks.An Army private first clas