The Korea Times

Korea, US give conflicting accounts of West Sea drill communication

Korea and the United States are offering conflicting accounts over communication between the two sides about a recent U.S. air exercise in the West Sea in which U.S. and Chinese jets experienced a brief standoff. The differing explanations center on whether Seoul was given advance notice about the drill and whether the top U.S. commander apologized over the issue. The dispute stems from a large-scale U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) drill conducted Feb. 18 and 19 from Osan Air Base, during which U.S. fighter jets carried out more than 100 sorties over waters west of the Korean Peninsula. Chinese warplanes also scrambled in response, leading to a short aerial standoff between the two sides. The defense ministry confirmed that Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Jin Young-seung, spoke with USFK Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson to protest that details of the exercise had not been sufficiently shared in advance with Korean authorities and that such operations could heighten tensions in nearby waters. USFK pushed back on the implication there was no prior coordin

Feb 25, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

Korea, US give conflicting accounts of West Sea drill communication

Defense

USFK commander reportedly apologizes over West Sea drill

Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), apologized to Korean military officials for a recent West Sea air exercise that briefly brought U.S. and Chinese fighter jets into a tense encounter, according to news reports. The Ministry of National Defense said Tuesday that parts of the media accounts were accurate but declined to provide further details, citing diplomatic sensitivity. The U.S. military also declined to confirm the reports. The USFK staged large-scale aerial maneuvers from Osan Air Base on Feb. 18 and 19, during which Chinese aircraft also scrambled, creating a temporary standoff over the West Sea. Korean officials were said to have protested that the plan had not been sufficiently shared in advance. Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back reportedly called Brunson on Feb. 19 to lodge a complaint. Afterward, Brunson conveyed his apology and the drill, originally scheduled to run through last Saturday, was halted early on Feb. 19, according to the reports. Defense ministry spokesperson Chung Binna confirmed to reporters that the phone call had taken place, but said that

Feb 24, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

USFK commander reportedly apologizes over West Sea drill

Environment & Animals

PHOTO Snow blankets Daejeon

A pedestrian crosses a street as snow falls in Dunsan-dong, Seo District, Daejeon, Tuesday. A heavy snow advisory was in effect for Daejeon, Sejong City and southern South Chungcheong Province. Yonhap

Feb 24, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

Politics

As cable giant shuts out rivals, Lee seeks to topple Olympic paywall

President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday called for changes to the law to ensure what he described as “universal access” to major sporting events, criticizing a private broadcaster that secured exclusive rights to the Olympics and the 2026 World Cup. While Lee did not name the company, his remarks clearly targeted JTBC, the cable giant whose exclusive contracts have sidelined traditional networks in Winter Olympics coverage. The move has sparked backlash over a "paywall" being placed around events long viewed as a shared national right. Speaking at a Cabinet meeting, Lee said the government should review how Koreans can watch events that carry broad public interest. “Institutional improvements are needed to ensure our people have broad access to international events,” he said. Lee pointed to the recently concluded Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, saying the national mood did not rise as much as in past global competitions despite strong performances by Korean athletes. “Despite our athletes’ grit and performances, there is regret that social excitement was not sufficiently elevated co

Feb 24, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

As cable giant shuts out rivals, Lee seeks to topple Olympic paywall

Defense

Korea, US see problems with coordination over military drills

Korea and the United States have seen problems in coordination in recent military activities. The latest issue involved a U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) drill conducted over the West Sea without detailed prior coordination with Korea’s military. According to military sources, the United States on Jan. 15 proposed a trilateral air exercise with Korea and Japan. The proposed timing overlapped with the Lunar New Year holiday period and came shortly before Japan’s “Takeshima Day,” in which Japan renews its claim over Korea's easternmost Dokdo islets. This timing prompted Seoul to request adjustments. Korea suggested either bringing the exercise forward to distance it from the date or holding a Korea-U.S. bilateral drill afterward. Washington later informed Seoul on Feb. 5 that it would proceed with a U.S.-only exercise, the sources said. But the U.S. conducted joint air drills with Japan on Feb. 16 and 18 over the East Sea and the East China Sea. The exercises involved four B-52 strategic bombers and Japanese fighter aircraft. USFK also carried out a solo drill over waters west of the Korea

Feb 23, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

Korea, US see problems with coordination over military drills

Foreign Affairs

Tariff uncertainty likely to further delay Korea-US nuclear sub talks

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision striking down Washington’s tariff scheme has emerged as a new variable affecting security negotiations between Seoul and Washington, raising concerns that uncertainties surrounding the tariff issue may hinder defense cooperation. Officials here have said the trade issue is separate from security issues, including Seoul’s pursuit of nuclear-powered submarines and expanded rights over uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing. However, the security negotiations have already been delayed by the deadlock in tariff talks in recent months, especially after U.S. President Donald Trump on Jan. 27 threatened to raise levies on Korean goods, citing Korea's slow progress on pledged investments. The timing of a planned visit by a U.S. interagency delegation is now being closely watched. Seoul expects officials from the White House, the State Department, the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy to participate in the security negotiations, saying earlier this month that the delegation may arrive at the end of February or early March. However,

Feb 22, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

Tariff uncertainty likely to further delay Korea-US nuclear sub talks

Politics

Ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol sentenced to life in prison for leading insurrection

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to life in prison Thursday after a court found him guilty of leading an insurrection linked to his martial law declaration on Dec. 3, 2024. The court concluded that his actions met the legal definition of insurrection but declined to impose the death sentence despite the special counsel’s earlier request for capital punishment. Under Korean criminal law, the offense of leading an insurrection carries only three possible penalties: death, life imprisonment with labor or life imprisonment without labor. The ruling came 443 days after Yoon declared martial law. The court acknowledged Yoon as "the leader of the insurrection,” on the basis that his martial law declaration violated the authority of the National Assembly, an act which constitutes insurrection. “The core factual element of this case is that troops were sent to the National Assembly,” the court said, emphasizing that the act itself represented the use of force against a constitutional body. “It cannot be ruled out that Yoon aimed to paralyze the Assembly for a considerable peri

Feb 19, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

Ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol sentenced to life in prison for leading insurrection

Society

London Bagel Museum operator faces $555,000 penalty for labor law violations after worker's death

A labor ministry investigation has found that the operator of the popular bakery brand London Bagel Museum violated multiple labor laws, including excessive overtime, unpaid wages and workplace harassment, with authorities filing a criminal complaint against the head of the company. The Ministry of Employment and Labor said Friday it conducted a special inspection of 18 outlets run by LBM, the company behind London Bagel Museum and its affiliated brands, between October and January. The probe involved anonymous surveys and face-to-face interviews with workers to determine whether labor regulations had been violated. The ministry said LBM chief Kang Kwan-gu faces five charges, including violation of overtime limits, illegal penalty clauses and breaches of workplace safety rules. More than 60 additional violations, such as failure to issue pay statements, lack of health checkups and workplace bullying, resulted in administrative fines totaling 801 million won ($555,132). Authorities also ordered the company to pay 564 million won in unpaid wages, including overtime pay. The inspection foll

Feb 13, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

London Bagel Museum operator faces $555,000 penalty for labor law violations after worker's death

Society

PHOTO Ready for Lunar New Year

Children dressed in traditional clothes called hanbok learn how to perform a New Year’s bow at Daewon Kindergarten in Daegu, Thursday, ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday that runs from Monday to Wednesday. Yonhap

Feb 12, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

Politics

Former interior minister sentenced to 7 years over role in martial law decree

The Seoul Central District Court on Thursday sentenced former Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min to seven years in prison for his role in ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration on Dec. 3, 2024, including relaying orders to cut electricity and water to certain media outlets. This is the second time a member of the former president's Cabinet has been convicted in a lower court over the martial law crisis, following last month’s 23-year prison sentence for former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. In its ruling, the court said that the actions of Yoon and former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun — including their attempts to block access to the National Assembly — constituted an insurrection carried out with the intent to undermine the constitutional order. The court noted that the martial law declaration temporarily suspended civil liberties in Seoul and granted authorities sweeping powers over the capital, allowing them to control movement, communications and access to government facilities. The judges emphasized that these measures were not prompted by immediate secur

Feb 12, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

Bahk Eun-ji

Read more

Korea, US give conflicting accounts of West Sea drill communication

USFK commander reportedly apologizes over West Sea drill

PHOTO Snow blankets Daejeon

As cable giant shuts out rivals, Lee seeks to topple Olympic paywall

Korea, US see problems with coordination over military drills

Tariff uncertainty likely to further delay Korea-US nuclear sub talks

Ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol sentenced to life in prison for leading insurrection

London Bagel Museum operator faces $555,000 penalty for labor law violations after worker's death

PHOTO Ready for Lunar New Year

Former interior minister sentenced to 7 years over role in martial law decree

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