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N. Korea eyes third large warship in growing naval buildup: report
North Korea has pledged to build a third 5,000-ton-class destroyer by next year as part of its continued push to improve its naval capabilities, state media reported Tuesday. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, workers at the Nampo Shipyard — one of the country’s key naval production hubs — held a rally Monday, vowing to complete the new warship by Oct. 10, 2026, the founding anniversary of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea. Yun Chi-gol, director of the shipyard, was quoted a
July 22, 2025 -
Drone commander suspended over drone dispatch to NK allegedly linked to martial law
The defense ministry said Monday it has suspended the head of the Drone Operations Command over suspicions that military drones were illegally dispatched to North Korea last year as part of preparations for former President Yoon Suk Yeol's imposition of martial law. Maj. Gen. Kim Yong-dae, commander of the unit, was separated from his duties Monday pending suspension, the defense ministry said, a day after an arrest warrant was sought for him in connection with the investigation into Yoon's fail
July 21, 2025 -
N. Korea slams Japan’s fighter jet project with UK, Italy as revival of ‘wartime alliance’
North Korea on Monday denounced Japan’s joint next-generation fighter jet project with the United Kingdom and Italy, accusing Tokyo of attempting to revive its past military alliances and imperial ambitions. In a commentary published by the state-run Korean Central News Agency, Pyongyang described Japan as “an Asian war criminal state dreaming of restoring its former wartime alliance,” and claimed the country was “recklessly sharpening the blade of reinvasion in collusion with foreign forces, dr
July 21, 2025 -
S. Korea joins US-led multinational cyber defense drill
South Korea’s Cyber Operations Command plans to participate in Cyber Flag, a multinational cyber defense exercise hosted by the US Cyber Command, the Defense Ministry said Monday. The training is scheduled from Monday to Friday at the US National Cyber Range Complex in Virginia. A team of seven personnel from Seoul's Cyber Operations Command will take part in the drill to strengthen their response capabilities against cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure and share cyber threat intellig
July 21, 2025 -
UN land mine experts visit S. Korea to discuss reducing minefield risks
Two land mine experts from the United Nations Development Program visited South Korea this week, as the devices remain a serious concern on the Korean Peninsula, particularly due to the risk of displacement caused by flooding. The visit by Sean Moorhouse, UNDP technical adviser for mine action, and Kwon Goo-soon, UNDP chief technical adviser in Vietnam, was made at the invitation of South Korea's Defense Ministry. Their visit aims to "provide technical advice on managing previously undocumented
July 20, 2025 -
Drone operations commander summoned over Yoon's alleged NK drone order
South Korea’s special counsel on Thursday summoned Drone Operations Command head Maj. Gen. Kim Yong-dae as part of its investigation into insurrection and treason charges against former President Yoon Suk Yeol. Led by Cho Eun-suk, the probe is examining whether Yoon ordered a drone operation into North Korea in October 2024 to create a pretext for declaring martial law in December last year. The investigation into Kim reportedly stems from testimonies within the military that claim that Yoon gav
July 17, 2025 -
Report urges South Korea to rethink defense export strategy amid China’s AI arms push
As China accelerates the integration of artificial intelligence, drones and robotics into its military systems, South Korea must rethink its arms export strategy to maintain global competitiveness, a state-run think tank said Wednesday. In a report titled "China’s Defense Industry: Status and Implications," the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade said that Beijing was channeling significant resources into unmanned and intelligent warfare capabilities, even amid domestic economic h
July 16, 2025 -
Defense minister nominee vows to militarily support govt. efforts to establish peace
Defense Minister nominee Ahn Gyu-back pledged Tuesday to militarily support the government's push to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula and mend strained ties with North Korea. "(If I take office), I will militarily support the government's efforts to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula," Ahn told a parliamentary confirmation hearing. The minister nominee emphasized the importance of leaving doors open for engagement with the North. "While establishing deterrence based on immense milita
July 15, 2025 -
No discussion taking place at all on USFK withdrawal or downsizing: FM nominee
South Korea and the United States have held no discussions at all over withdrawing or downsizing US troops stationed in the South, Foreign Minister nominee Cho Hyun said Tuesday. Cho made the remarks in a statement submitted to members of the parliamentary Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee ahead of his confirmation hearing scheduled for Thursday. The statement came amid continued speculation that, under President Donald Trump's second term, Washington may downsize the 28,500-strong US Fo
July 15, 2025 -
Drone operations command raided in Yoon martial law probe
South Korea’s special counsel team raided the military’s drone operations command Monday as part of its investigation into former President Yoon Suk Yeol. Led by Special Counsel Cho Eun-suk, the raid was part of a broader investigation into whether Yoon orchestrated a drone operation over North Korea in an attempt to fabricate a pretext for declaring martial law on Dec. 3. Monday's raid marked a sign that the insurrection probe has expanded into treason charges. Some of Yoon's opponents have cla
July 14, 2025 -
DAPA completes live-fire test of Marine attack helicopter
South Korea’s arms procurement agency said Monday it has successfully conducted day-and-night live-fire tests of machine guns and rockets for the Marine Attack Helicopter, which is currently under development and slated for completion next year. According to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, the tests were conducted three times during the first half of this year to verify the helicopter’s combat capabilities under both daytime and nighttime conditions. The evaluation focused on its
July 14, 2025 -
N. Korea bristles at S. Korea-U.S.-Japan air drills
North Korea on Sunday blasted recent combined air drills conducted by South Korea, the United States and Japan, saying such joint military actions are "the main danger factors heightening the level of the military tension" on the Korean Peninsula and its surrounding region. "We express serious concern over their hostile acts of persistently conducting provocative and threatening military actions while deliberately ignoring the security concern of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and str
July 13, 2025 -
S. Korea, US continue joint efforts to 'make progress' toward OPCON transition: Pentagon official
South Korea and the United States continue cooperation to "make progress" toward the transition of wartime operational control to Seoul, a Pentagon official said Friday, indicating that discussions on the major alliance issue are ongoing. The official made the remarks as new South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's administration seeks to retake it at a time when US President Donald Trump's administration has been urging allies to take a greater security burden while prioritizing deterring Chinese
July 12, 2025 -
S. Korea, US, Japan stress security partnership amid N. Korean nuclear threat
The top military officers of South Korea, the United States and Japan met in Seoul on Thursday for their annual trilateral meeting, emphasizing the importance of security cooperation, particularly in the face of North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile threats. Held for the first time in South Korea, the 22nd Trilateral Chiefs of Defense (Tri-CHOD) meeting brought together South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Kim Myung-soo, US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Daniel Caine, an
July 11, 2025 -
Military chiefs of S. Korea, US meet but avoid thorny issues
The top military officers of South Korea and the United States met Thursday but avoided thorny issues such as a potential increase in Seoul's payment for the stationing of US Forces Korea on the peninsula, sources close to the matter said. Adm. Kim Myung-soo, chairman of the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff, and his US counterpart, Gen. John Daniel Caine, held a 40-minute meeting at Seoul’s JCS headquarters. Their agenda focused on updates on North Korea's military and security cooperation between
July 10, 2025