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JCS chief orders sweeping reshuffle of senior officers in unprecedented shake-up: sources
South Korea’s top military leadership is facing an unprecedented reshuffle, as Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Jin Yong-sung has ordered the large-scale replacement of JCS senior officers in the aftermath of the Dec. 3 martial law crisis. According to military sources earlier this week, Gen. Jin recently issued internal instructions calling for a “comprehensive personnel overhaul” within the JCS. The directive targets most generals currently serving at the headquarters, as well as colonels and
Nov. 7, 2025 -
North Korea launches ballistic missile into East Sea: JCS
North Korea fired at least one suspected ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Friday, in what observers say appears to be a protest against the latest US sanctions. According to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, the launch took place around 12:35 p.m. from the area of Daegwan in North Pyongan Province. The projectile, believed to be a ballistic missile, was detected heading eastward toward the sea, the JCS said, adding that the South Korean military is closely analyzing the missile’s spec
Nov. 7, 2025 -
Full replacement of JCS generals ordered over martial law turmoil: sources
Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Jin Yong-sung has ordered a full replacement of generals at the top military leadership as part of personnel reform following last year's martial law turmoil, sources said Thursday. According to the sources, Jin has ordered the replacement of all generals at the JCS, as well as lieutenant colonels and colonels who have served at the organization for two years or longer. "The measure is part of personnel reform in the aftermath of the martial law (attempt
Nov. 6, 2025 -
NK prepared for war after Seoul drone operation: report
North Korea went into a war-ready posture after a series of South Korean military drone flights over Pyongyang in October last year — a move now suspected of having been planned to set the stage for then-South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration on Dec. 3, 2024 — according to lawmakers briefed by the military’s intelligence agency. Reps. Park Sun-won of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and Lee Seong-kweun of the main opposition People Power Party — executive secretaries
Nov. 6, 2025 -
USS George Washington aircraft carrier arrives in Busan
The USS George Washington aircraft carrier arrived at a key naval base in the southeastern city of Busan on Wednesday, South Korea's Navy said, in a reaffirmation of the South Korea-US combined defense posture. The nuclear-powered vessel of Carrier Strike Group 5 entered the naval base in Busan, about 320 kilometers southeast of Seoul, in what marked the first such visit by a US aircraft carrier to South Korea since President Lee Jae Myung took office in June. The aircraft carrier was accompanie
Nov. 5, 2025 -
Hegseth backs Trump’s green light for S. Korea’s nuclear-powered subs
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday backed US President Donald Trump’s recent approval for South Korea to build nuclear-powered submarines, saying Washington will coordinate closely with the State and Energy departments to move the plan forward — a development seen as marking a major shift in the allies’ defense cooperation. “We are going to work closely with the Department of State and the Department of Energy to fulfill President Trump’s commitment in a deliberate manner,” Hegseth tol
Nov. 4, 2025 -
North Korea test-fires artillery rockets during Hegseth’s JSA visit
North Korea fired a barrage of artillery rockets toward the Yellow Sea this week, in what appeared to be another show of force timed to coincide with key security events in South Korea, including a joint visit by the South Korean and US defense chiefs to the Demilitarized Zone. The South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said Tuesday that the North launched about 10 rockets from a multiple launch rocket system at around 4 p.m. Monday, aimed toward waters off the northern Yellow Sea. The launch occurred le
Nov. 4, 2025 -
Military chiefs of South Korea, US vow continued efforts toward wartime OPCON transition
The top military leaders of South Korea and the US agreed Monday that the allies have made “meaningful progress” toward the transition of wartime operational control, known as OPCON, to Seoul, pledging to continue joint efforts to meet remaining conditions. According to a joint press statement, Chair of South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Jin Yong-sung and his US counterpart Gen. John Daniel Caine made the assessment during the 50th Republic of Korea-United States military committee meeting
Nov. 3, 2025 -
Defense chiefs of S. Korea, US set to visit DMZ for 1st time in 8 years
Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth were set to visit the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas on Monday, officials said, a day ahead of their annual security talks. Their planned visit to the Joint Security Area inside the DMZ is part of the Pentagon chief's two-day visit to South Korea, in his first trip to South Korea, which is the last leg of his Asia swing that includes stops in Japan, Malaysia and Vietnam. It would mark the first joint visit to the J
Nov. 3, 2025 -
S. Korea bolsters space surveillance with 5th satellite launch
South Korea on Sunday launched its fifth military reconnaissance satellite, completing the nation’s space-based surveillance network designed to strengthen its independent intelligence and early-warning capabilities against North Korean threats. The satellite — referred to as the “final eye” of South Korea’s Kill Chain preemptive strike system — lifted off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 1:09 a.m. — 2:09 p.m. in South Korea — according to Seo
Nov. 2, 2025 -
Canada goes submarine shopping
For Canada, the ongoing Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, is a perfect opportunity for some submarine shopping. Members of the Canadian delegation, led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, are touring South Korean shipyards and submarine facilities this week, as Ottawa edges closer to selecting a partner for its multibillion-dollar submarine replacement program. South Korea is one of the two preferred contenders. On Friday, Vice Adm. Angus Topshee, comman
Oct. 31, 2025 -
South Korea to launch 5th spy satellite from US
South Korea will launch its fifth domestically developed military reconnaissance satellite from the US this weekend, marking the completion of the country’s multiyear “425 Project” aimed at establishing an independent surveillance network to monitor North Korea, the Defense Ministry said Friday. The synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite is scheduled to lift off around 1 a.m. Sunday (US time) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, according to the ministry. The launch represents t
Oct. 31, 2025 -
What Trump’s nod for nuclear submarines means for South Korea
US President Donald Trump’s "approval" for South Korea to build a nuclear-powered submarine marks a watershed moment in the decadeslong debate over Seoul’s pursuit of nuclear propulsion at sea — a move that could redefine the future of the alliance and reshape the strategic balance in Northeast Asia. Trump announced Thursday on his Truth Social account that South Korea has his "approval" to build a nuclear-powered submarine, adding that construction would take place at the Philadelphia Shipyard,
Oct. 30, 2025 -
South Korea accelerates AI Push in next-generation weapons programs
South Korea is accelerating its adoption of artificial intelligence in national defense, signaling a decisive turn toward algorithm-driven warfare as its battlefield technologies evolve and as its population shrinks. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration, which oversees the country’s arms procurement, has reorganized one of its key semi-autonomous units to take the lead in shaping artificial intelligence policy and strategy for next-generation weapon systems, officials said Monday. The
Oct. 27, 2025 -
Army reserve forces conduct drills involving advanced uniforms, combat gear for 1st time
The Army has wrapped up a two-week exercise of its reserve forces involving advanced uniforms and equipment built to enhance combat effectiveness and survivability, the armed service said Monday. The drills, which began on Oct. 14, marked the first of their kind involving uniforms, equipment and combat gear fitted with advanced technology, known as "warrior platforms," according to the Army. Around 240 reserve troops affiliated with the Army's 31st, 35th and 52nd infantry divisions took part in
Oct. 27, 2025