N. Korea on wrong track Addressing food insecurity is integral to maintaining regime stability. Some experts expressed optimism that North Korea had managed to identify the key challenges that need to be addressed during the four-day party plenum. North Korea has presented revamping irrigation systems, manufacturing and providing new machines for agricultural modernization, reclaiming tidelands...

Before the bilateral meeting, Lee and Blaszczak also jointly attended a rollout ceremony for the first FA-50 light combat aircraft manufactured by Korea Aerospace Industries, which will be exported to Poland. The event took place at the KAI headquarters in the city of Sacheon with the attendance of around 100 people, including South Korean Minister of Defense Acquisition Program Administration E...

The frequency of publicly reported military activities by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been on a notable rise since the beginning of this year compared to the past few years. Kim conducted 12 public military activities by the end of April this year, according to analysis and data provided by the government-funded Korea Institute for National Unification headquartered in Seoul. The total n...

SINGAPORE – The European Union's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, clarified Sunday that he "explained Ukraine's needs for ammunition" to the South Korean defense minister, correcting his statement on the bilateral talks. The correction came hours after South Korea's Defense Ministry issued a statement and said there was no discussion between Defense Minister Lee and Borrell regarding ammunition supp...

Lee's rare criticism of China Both Austin and Lee also highlighted the legitimacy of enhancing trilateral security cooperation in the face of North Korean nuclear and missile threats during their keynote speeches at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Saturday. The meeting was attended by defense ministers and high-level delegates from over 40 countries, including Australia, the United States, China, Jap...

N. Korea and beyond The three defense chiefs also agreed to enhance trilateral security cooperation, taking into account both the threats posed by North Korea and the evolving security landscape in the Indo-Pacific region. They emphasized the importance of strengthening trilateral cooperation through information sharing on critical matters, high-level policy consultations, and joint exercises to...

SINGAPORE — The South Korean defense minister denounced China and Russia for neglecting their responsibility to hold North Korea accountable for its ongoing illegal actions, including ballistic missile launches. Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup made the rare criticism in his keynote speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a gathering that attracted defense ministers and high-level delegates from over 40...

SINGAPORE — South Korea's top nuclear envoy on Friday called for the international community to collectively condemn North Korea's recent abortive attempt to launch a spy satellite during the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. Kim Gunn, the Foreign Ministry's Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs, delivered a presentation during the special session titled “Nuclear...

Lee is also slated to meet Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu on Saturday evening. “We haven’t finalized agenda topics for the bilateral talks, but it is expected to discuss various ways to improve defense cooperation between South Korea and China based on the principle of mutual respect and reciprocity,” the official said. In Singapore, Lee will meet with counterparts from Canada, the Netherl...

“The L-SAM has great significance as it is the linchpin, broadly speaking, of the three-axis defense system, and more specifically of the Korean Air and Missile Defense system,” South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup said at the test center. The Yoon Suk Yeol government has sought to expeditiously complete the establishment of the homegrown three-axis defense system, which consists of the Ki...

The South Korean military confirmed the failure of what North Korea claimed to be a “space launch vehicle,” releasing several photos of what it presumed to be a component of the launch vehicle salvaged by the military in waters between South Korea and China on Wednesday morning. The projectile was detected firing southward from the area of Tongchang-ri, North Pyongan Province, at around 6:29 a.m...

To achieve “peace through strength” on the Korean Peninsula and beyond, South Korean and US forces should prioritize conducting constant and realistic training and exercises unencumbered by constraints, the commanding general of the Eighth US Army said Wednesday. “Our forces, both Korean and the United States, must go into the field and train,” Lt. Gen. Willard Burleson said during a forum hoste...

The South Korean military will implement mandatory drug testing for all prospective and current enlistees and military officials, as part of efforts to combat the increasing drug-related crimes within and outside of the barracks. The Defense Ministry on Tuesday announced the new set of measures aimed at fostering a "drug-free, healthy barracks culture." The ministry recognizes the pressing need...

South Korea’s Unification Minister on Monday urged North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to make the “right decision” and change his course towards denuclearization, calling on Kim to reflect on his continuing and ongoing failures to boost the economy as a result of fixating on developing North Korea's nuclear weapons program. Unification Minister Kwon Young-se underscored that Kim has not achieved hi...

The South Korean government has initiated a review to select nonlethal military aid and equipment to send to Ukraine, a military official with knowledge of the matter confirmed Monday. The related government agencies, including the Defense Ministry, have commenced a working-level process following the first in-person meeting between South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Ukrainian President Vo...