The Korea Herald

New Army abuse case draws public fire

Aug 1, 2014

Another case of physical abuses at a military barracks is drawing fire from the public, with human rights activists blasting the Army for its continued failure to care for the potential victims of bullying.It was found this week that a 23-year-old Army private first class, identified by his surname Yoon, died on April 7 after suffering a month of physical and mental violence. Yoon was dispatched to his unit of the Army’s 28th Division in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province, on March 2. Lim Tae-hoon, he
F-35 delays raise concern

Aug 1, 2014

Concerns are escalating in South Korea over possible delays in the development of the F-35 fighter jet as this could hinder Seoul’s project to deploy 40 of the radar-evading aircraft from 2018-2021.The U.S-led multinational F-35 development program has recently been in the media spotlight due to a set of accidents, most recently on June 23, when one of the warplanes’ engines caught fire before takeoff.Apart from the hardware issues, the development of certain software could face delays of up to
Retired colonel arrested for leaking JCS blueprints

Jul 31, 2014

The military prosecution arrested a retired colonel last Wednesday on charges of leaking the secret blueprints of the Joint Chiefs of Staff building to a construction firm without security clearance, the Defense Ministry said Thursday.The retired official, surnamed Kim, is alleged to have allowed the firm to construct anti-electronic magnetic pulse facilities in the JCS building in Seoul and offered the building’s layout for the job.The prosecution has also been investigating a sergeant major, s
Korea offers corvette to Colombia

Jul 30, 2014

South Korea on Wednesday offered its decommissioned 1,200-ton corvette to Colombia in a move to enhance bilateral military relations and cooperation in the defense industry, Navy officials said.Decommissioned in 2011 after some 28 years of service, the corvette Anyang was offered to Colombia’s Navy during a handover ceremony at a naval base in Jinhae, South Gyeongsang Province. The corvette was renamed Narino, the surname of Colombian independence hero Antonio Narino. It was the first time for K
UNSC to meet on N. Korea’s missile launches

Jul 30, 2014

The United Nations Security Council will meet next week to deal with North Korea’s recent spate of missile and rocket launches, government sources said Wednesday.The 15-member Security Council is expected to meet on Tuesday, when it will hear details from a sanctions committee about the enforcement of U.N. resolutions which ban the North’s nuclear and missile programs, according to sources. The committee, which reports to the Security Council every 90 days, was established in 2006 after the Nort
U.S. base to relocate as planned, minister says

Jul 29, 2014

South Korea and the United States will relocate the U.S. military headquarters in Seoul to south of the capital as planned because it is “a pledge to the people,” Seoul‘s defense chief said Tuesday. In 2004, the allies agreed to relocate the Yongsan Garrison, the sprawling U.S. military headquarters in central Seoul, and the 2nd Infantry Division north of Seoul to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, some 70 kilometers south of the capital, by the end of 2016.“The plan to relocate the U.S. bases will b
U.S. military base relocation to go ahead as planned: S. Korea

Jul 29, 2014

South Korea and the United States will relocate the U.S. military headquarters in Seoul to south of the capital as planned because it is "a pledge to the people," Seoul's defense chief said Tuesday. In 2004, the allies agreed to relocate the Yongsan Garrison, the sprawling U.S. military headquarters in central Seoul, and the 2nd Infantry Division north of Seoul to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, some 70 kilometers south of the capital, by the end of 2016."The plan to relocate the U.S. bases will b
N. Korea has world’s largest submarine fleet: U.S. media

Jul 28, 2014

North Korea possesses the world’s largest number of submarines, followed by the U.S., according to a U.S. online media outlet.Business Insider said that the North has a total of 78 regular and midget submarines, while the U.S. has 72 submarines. Its analysis is based on data from the Global Firepower, a military power evaluation organization.China ranked third with 69 submarines, followed by Russia with 63 submarines and Iran with 31 submarines. South Korea has only 14 submarines while Japan has
‘U.S. has yet to request THAAD deployment’

Jul 28, 2014

Seoul won’t join U.S. missile defense program, envoy to Russia says
Two draftees on watch list commit suicide

Jul 28, 2014

Two Army privates who were on the military's list of soldiers "requiring extra care" have died after apparent suicides, the Army said Monday, sounding an alarm for the country's troop management.A 21-year-old private, identified only by his surname Park, was found hanged in a restroom of his barracks in the central part of the country at about 8:10 p.m. on Sunday. He was immediately taken to a military hospital, but was pronounced dead some three hours later."After joining his unit on June 20, h
USFK chief blasts N.K. missile launches

Jul 27, 2014

PANMUNJEOM ― U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti on Sunday lambasted North Korea for recently launching a series of missiles and rockets in breach of the U.N. Security Council resolutions banning any ballistic missile tests.His remarks came the day after the communist state fired what appeared to be a short-range Scud ballistic missile into the East Sea from Jangsangot, South Hwanghae Province, 100 kilometers from the Military Demarcation Line.“Clearly, we are watching closely th
N. Korea bolsters cyberwarfare capabilities

Jul 27, 2014

Communist state has systematic policy to nurture ‘cyber warriors’
Gov't to revise mental evaluation of potential draftees

Jul 27, 2014

The state military manpower agency said Sunday it will strengthen psychological evaluations for potential draftees as part of efforts to weed out those who are unfit for service and better manage its recruits.All South Korean men are required to go through a physical checkup and psychological evaluation when they turn 19 to determine whether they are eligible for mandatory military service and what duties they should be assigned to.The move by the Military Manpower Administration (MMA) came in t
U.S. dismisses Russian concern about THAAD system in S. Korea

Jul 25, 2014

The United States said Thursday an advanced missile defense battery it plans to deploy to South Korea is not aimed at Russia, after Moscow expressed concern that the system would negatively affect the regional situation and provoke an arms race.The U.S. military plans to bring a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense battery into South Korea to help deter threats from North Korea. The U.S. has conducted a site survey for the system, though no decision has been announced as t
U.S. to spend $5.8b on missile defense for five years

Jul 23, 2014

WASHINGTON (Yonhap) ― The United States plans to spend about $5.8 billion over the next five years on a missile defense program designed to intercept incoming warheads from countries like North Korea, according to the Congressional Budget Office.In a report made public Tuesday, the budget office provided the historical and future budgets for the Missile Defense Agency’s Ground-Based Midcourse Defense program, a missile defense system aimed at fending off ballistic missile threats from North Kore