North Korea’s attempt to launch its first-ever military reconnaissance satellite into orbit ended in failure Wednesday, and briefly put South Korea and its neighbors on high alert when it disappeared from the planned trajectory. It was later found to have crashed into the sea. In a rare move, Pyongyang promptly acknowledged the failure of its attempt, but said it would conduct another launch “as soon as possible,” adding more pressure on South Korea and its security partners --

North Korea May 31, 2023

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 hosted by Herald Corp. in Seoul to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the alliance

Politics May 25, 2023

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 to formulate and implement measures in light of a continuing rise in drug-related crimes, pr

Defense May 23, 2023

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 his objective of improving the lives of the North Korean people, despite more tha

North Korea May 22, 2023

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 Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The meeting took place on Sunday in Hiroshima, Japan on the sidelines of the Group

Defense May 22, 2023

The South Korean and Vietnamese leaders on Friday committed to expanding bilateral trade and economic cooperation on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in the city of Hiroshima, Japan. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh discussed ways to enhance bilateral relations between the two countries, as well as cooperation between South Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, the South Korean presidential office said Friday.

Foreign Affairs May 19, 2023

South Korea's and Australia's leaders on Friday committed to stepping up defense and arms industry cooperation amid North Korea’s persisting provocations, the South Korean presidential office said. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese held an in-person bilateral summit from 5:30 p.m. local time on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in the city of Hiroshima, Japan. Both sides agreed to "further expand defense and arms industry coop

Foreign Affairs May 19, 2023

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is poised to make his debut at the Group of Seven summit, which has been largely overshadowed by Russia's grinding war on Ukraine and China's growing assertiveness in the South China Sea. But while these geopolitical challenges loom, Yoon has his own separate goal. The president seeks to use his visit to the city of Hiroshima as an opportunity to improve ties between South Korea and Japan, as well as display the two country's concerted efforts

Foreign Affairs May 19, 2023

BUSAN/CHANGWON, South Gyeongsang Province — “All hands, man your battle stations!” The combat control center of the South Korean Navy’s Sejong the Great Aegis destroyer in waters off the city of Busan sprung into life. Upon receiving information that a North Korean submarine armed with submarine-launched ballistic missiles, or SLBMs, was operating in waters off the Korean Peninsula, crew members donned life vests and took up their stations as a simulated exercise began Tu

Defense May 18, 2023

North Korea has resumed refurbishing a launchpad at the country’s main long-range missile and rocket launching station on the west coast since late last month, after nearly a half-year hiatus, a US think tank said Sunday. The construction activities have taken place to renovate the Sohae Satellite Launching Station in the Tongchang-ri area, North Pyongan Province, according to 38 North who based its findings from analyzing recent satellite imagery. The launch site has been used to launch t

Defense May 15, 2023

South Korea’s Defense Ministry said Friday that it is neither considering expanding military conscription to female citizens nor extending the period of mandatory military service for eligible male citizens as ways to address personnel challenges in the military, amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the current military service system. The ministry also said it has ruled out abolishing the alternative civilian service, which enables those who object to military service on various groun

Defense May 12, 2023

South Korea’s Defense Ministry on Thursday announced that the advantages of allowing enlisted soldiers to carry and use their mobile phones during working hours outweighed the disadvantages based on the outcomes of a previous pilot program. The military will conduct another, larger-scale pilot program targeting 20 percent of all soldiers from July to December this year. Only 5 percent were subject to the two-month test operation conducted from June to December last year. South Korean enlis

Defense May 11, 2023

DEMILITARIZED ZONE, South Korea -- Achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula amid North Korea’s persistent nuclear saber-rattling requires strength, but such strength is derived from the formidable alliance and deepening defense integration between the treaty allies, said Gen. James McConville, chief of staff of the United States Army. US combat-credible forces are “very ready” in the face of escalating missile and nuclear threats from North Korea, following the bedrock “ph

Defense May 11, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Sunday said South Korea is open to trilateral strategic and nuclear planning with the United States and Japan on how to respond in the event of a North Korea’s nuclear attack. Yoon underscored that “security cooperation is more important than ever” as South Korea and Japan face common threats from North Korea, during a televised news conference following his in-person summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Seoul. Yoon said he is open to

Defense May 7, 2023

North Korea has refused to take regular phone calls from South Korea for a month, while stepping up criticism of the Yoon Suk Yeol government’s policy of strengthening coordination with the United States in countering and deterring escalating North Korean threats. Pyongyang has violated the inter-Korean commitment to hold calls through the liaison and military hotlines twice a day, in the morning and afternoon. But the Kim Jong-un regime has not provided any clear explanation for why it un

North Korea May 7, 2023