The Korea Herald

Military steps up air defense

Apr 4, 2014

Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin said Friday the military would step up its air defense to counteract North Korean spy drones that have become a new security threat here this week. “We are working on preparing counteractions (against drones), taking into account that Pyongyang’s drones could potentially carry out suicide-bombing operations upon further development,” Kim said in an interpellation session held at the National Assembly.The defense minister said that the unmanned aerial vehicles do not
Seoul tests ballistic missile capable of striking North

Apr 4, 2014

South Korea successfully test-fired its new ballistic missile capable of striking all parts of North Korea last month and plans to deploy it starting next year to bolster its defense, a military source said Friday.The state-funded Agency for Defense Development on March 23 conducted a test of the ballistic missile, which has a range of 500 kilometers and a payload of 1 ton, at a firing range in Taean, South Chungcheong Province. The test was observed by senior military officials. “The missiles a
S. Korea names new Air Force chief

Apr 4, 2014

Lt. Gen. Choi Cha-gyu has been appointed as the new Air Force chief of staff and promoted to a four-star general to replace the outgoing commander, the defense ministry said Friday. President Park Geun-hye will formerly appoint Choi as the new Air Force commander after Cabinet approval to replace the incumbent chief Gen. Sung Il-hwan, who retires on April 17, the ministry said. The 58-year-old has formerly served as Air Force operational commander, deputy chief and director of the fighter pr
S. Korea test-fires ballistic missile capable of striking North

Apr 4, 2014

South Korea has successfully test-fired an extended range ballistic missile and will develop a longer range missile capable of striking all parts of North Korea, Seoul's defense ministry said Friday.South Korea currently operates Hyunmoo ballistic missiles with a range of 300 kilometers, and has been developing longer range missiles to beef up its defense against Pyongyang under a new missile deal with the United States.The guidelines revised in October 2012 allow Seoul to extend the maximum ran
Lack of drone defense raises ire

Apr 3, 2014

Discovery of drones thought to be from N. Korea exposes holes in Seoul’s air defenses
USFK chief warns of N.K. surprise attack, fallout from U.S. budget cuts

Apr 3, 2014

WASHINGTON (Yonhap) ― The North Korean regime is so dangerous that it can attack South Korea with “little or no warning,” the top U.S. military commander on the peninsula said Wednesday after the two Koreas exchanged artillery shells across their western sea border this week.Speaking before a congressional committee, Army Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, leader of the U.S. Forces Korea, also voiced concerns about a possible impact to crisis management in Korea from the Pentagon’s budget cuts.“The Kim Jo
USFK sitting on W600b Seoul-contributed funds: data

Apr 3, 2014

The U.S. forces stationed here had an unused, Seoul-contributed defense fund of more than 600 billion won ($567 million) as of January, though the amounted declined from five months earlier, government data showed Thursday.The unspent defense cost for United States Forces Korea came to 621 billion won as of the end of January, down some 90 billion won from the end of August in 2013, according to the data by the foreign ministry.The amount of unspent fund at end-January accounted for about 77 per
USFK has large amount of unused Seoul-contributed defense cost: data

Apr 3, 2014

The U.S. forces stationed here had an unused, Seoul-contributed defense fund of more than 600 billion won ($567 million) as of January, though the amounted declined from five months earlier, government data showed Thursday.The unspent defense cost for United States Forces Korea came to 621 billion won as of the end of January, down some 90 billion won from the end of August in 2013, according to the data by the foreign ministry.The amount of unspent fund at end-January accounted for about 77 pe
‘Crashed drones are from North Korea’

Apr 2, 2014

Seoul officials said Wednesday that North Korea was “highly likely” to have deployed the two crashed drones recently discovered in South Korea’s frontline regions. After the drones were found on the border island of Baengnyeongdo on Monday and in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, a week earlier, speculation rose that the communist state might have deployed them for espionage activities.Amid growing criticism of a “porous” air defense, Seoul is considering quickly introducing radars capable of detecting o
[Newsmaker] Drones emerging as core military assets

Apr 2, 2014

Unmanned aerial vehicles are emerging as core military assets for intelligence gathering, surveillance and combat missions with many countries pursuing low-risk and less costly weapons systems.The recent discovery of two crashed drones, presumably from North Korea, has drawn keen attention to the aircraft’s military capabilities and prompted calls for South Korea to strengthen its defense against Pyongyang’s drone-based military activities. In the development of combat drones, the U.S. is ahead
Drone crashes on border island

Apr 1, 2014

South Korea maintains top security posture against additional N. Korean provocations
[Graphic News] North Korea’s nuclear tests

Mar 31, 2014

1st (Oct. 9, 2006)Testing material: plutoniumMagnitude of artificial earthquake: 3.9Explosive power: 1 kilotonInterval between rocket launch and nuclear test: 33 months 2nd (May 25, 2009)Testing material: plutoniumMagnitude of artificial earthquake: 4.5Explosive power: 2-6 kilotonsInterval between rocket launch and nuclear test: 50 days3rd (Feb. 12, 2013)Testing material: presumably highly enriched uraniumMagnitude of artificial earthquake: 4.9-5.1Explosive power: 6-16 kilotonsInterval between r
S. Korea's defense ministry denies N. Korean fishermen were mistreated

Mar 30, 2014

South Korea's defense ministry said Sunday that allegations by Pyongyang of mistreatment of North Korean fishermen are a gross distortion of the facts, while expressing regret over threats made by the communist country over the incident.The response came after North Korean news outlets on Saturday released an interview of the three-person crew claiming the South Korean Navy beat them and tried to persuade them to defect.The ministry said in a statement that the seizure of the small fishing boat
Korea sells fighter jets to Philippines

Mar 28, 2014

South Korea signed a $420 million contract with the Philippines on Friday to sell 12 light attack FA-50 fighters, further boosting efforts to expand its presence in the global warplane market.The Philippines is to receive the aircraft within 38 months after the deal goes into effect, according to Korea Aerospace Industries, the country’s sole aircraft maker. The deal is to take effect after Manila wires a deposit to KAI within two months of the signing.The signing ceremony was attended by Korea
S. Korea sells 12 FA-50s to the Philippines

Mar 28, 2014

South Korea signed a $420 million contract with the Philippines on Friday to sell 12 light attack FA-50 fighters, further boosting efforts to expand its presence in the global warplane market.The Philippines is to receive the aircraft within 38 months after the deal goes into effect, according to Korea Aerospace Industries, the country’s sole aircraft maker. The deal is to take effect after Manila wires a deposit to KAI within two months of the signing. The signing ceremony was attended by Korea