The Korea Times

Lee rules out Korean troop deployment in Iran war

President Lee Jae Myung said Friday that South Korea will not deploy troops or military assets in a way that would involve the country in the war between the United States and Iran, while leaving open the possibility of expanding military activities to protect South Korean vessels, oil shipping routes and nationals. “There will be no deployment that involves or intervenes in the war. I can state that clearly,” Lee said during a press conference at Cheong Wa Dae. “We will not make such a troop deployment or dispatch military assets.” Lee said South Korea has maintained its principle of staying out of the conflict and would continue to do so. “To make it clear once again, there will be no deployment in the war,” he said. “We have upheld the principle of noninvolvement and nonintervention in the war, and we will continue to uphold it.” At the same time, Lee drew a distinction between joining the conflict and taking steps to protect South Korea’s own interests. “Like other countries, we clearly need to carry out minimum activities to protect our commercial vessels, oil sh

Sep 18, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

Lee rules out Korean troop deployment in Iran war

Politics

COVER STORY Lee says he has 'no intention whatsoever' of seeking reelection

President Lee Jae Myung said Friday that he has “no intention whatsoever” of seeking reelection, drawing a clear line between his push for a constitutional amendment allowing presidents to serve consecutive terms and his own political future. “Under the Constitution, it is impossible for me to seek reelection through a constitutional amendment and I have repeatedly made clear through various channels that I have never even considered seeking reelection,” Lee said during a press conference at Cheong Wa Dae. He dismissed demands that he explicitly pledge not to seek another term as a “political offensive,” saying they were intended to create the impression that he had considered reelection before abandoning the idea. “Nevertheless, I want to make it absolutely clear once again on this occasion,” Lee said. “I have no intention whatsoever of seeking reelection.” Lee has long advocated revising the Constitution to allow presidents to serve consecutive terms, arguing that such a system would ensure greater policy continuity and stability in state affairs. The proposal has d

Sep 18, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

[COVER STORY] Lee says he has 'no intention whatsoever' of seeking reelection

Defense

Korea's 1st unmanned military ground vehicle gets ready for battlefield

CHANGWON, South Gyeongsang Province — As an employee walked across a test track at Hanwha Aerospace’s Changwon Plant 2, a four-wheeled vehicle trailed several meters behind, matching his path without anyone at the controls. The vehicle was the Arion-SMET, Korea’s first multipurpose uncrewed ground vehicle selected for military deployment. “The Arion-SMET can autonomously follow a soldier in front without any intervention from the operator,” said Lee Yun-su, a research engineer at Hanwha Aerospace’s Manned-Unmanned Teaming R&D Center, during the demonstration Monday. The vehicle then picked up speed under remote control. It can travel at up to 60 kilometers per hour, allowing it to leave dangerous areas or deliver supplies, according to the company. A 7.62-millimeter remote-controlled weapon station mounted on top swiveled toward a target on the test ground. Even as the vehicle moved, the weapon remained trained on it. For the final demonstration, another Hanwha employee loaded supplies onto the vehicle and pressed a button on its side. With no driver aboard, the Arion-SMET mov

Sep 17, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

Korea's 1st unmanned military ground vehicle gets ready for battlefield

Defense

Defense minister nominee says conditions ripe for OPCON transfer

Defense minister nominee Kang Shin-chul said Wednesday that Korea has made substantial progress in meeting the requirements for the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) and that the conditions are now in place to move the process forward, lending support to the Lee Jae Myung administration’s push to complete the transfer within its term. Speaking at his confirmation hearing before the National Assembly’s National Defense Committee, Kang said the OPCON transfer was something “successive administrations have continuously pursued.” “We have made considerable progress in meeting the required conditions and I believe the circumstances are also in place,” he said. The Lee administration has made the OPCON transfer one of its key defense policy goals, seeking to complete the process before Lee leaves office. In written responses submitted to the Assembly ahead of the hearing, Kang cited completing the Full Operational Capability (FOC) assessment of the future Combined Forces Command as a major task related to the transfer. Kang, a former deputy commander of the Korea-U.S.

Sep 16, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

Defense

Korea's nuclear-powered submarines could take on broader Indo-Pacific role

As South Korea moves ahead with plans to acquire nuclear-powered submarines, the debate is shifting from whether the country needs them to where and how they should operate. South Korean military experts say Seoul has a strong case for acquiring nuclear-powered submarines to counter North Korea, even if their initial mission is focused on waters around the Korean Peninsula. Over time, however, they expect the submarines’ role to expand into the broader Indo-Pacific, from protecting vital sea lanes to supporting undersea cooperation with the United States. The assessments come after a U.S. Navy official said last week that South Korea needs a clear security rationale and concept of operations for the costly assets, reviving questions over whether Seoul needs nuclear-powered submarines if they are to operate mainly close to home. Moon Keun-sik, a submarine expert who formerly headed the nuclear-powered submarine project team at Navy Headquarters and is now a professor at the Graduate School of Public Policy at Hanyang University in Seoul, said that argument overlooks the ability of nucl

Sep 13, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

Korea's nuclear-powered submarines could take on broader Indo-Pacific role

Politics

Korea seeks to expand US naval cooperation from MRO to shipbuilding

Korea is seeking to expand its naval cooperation with the United States beyond maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) to the construction of U.S. support and combat vessels, as Washington looks to its allies to help ease constraints in its shipbuilding capacity. Korean shipbuilders have won 12 U.S. Navy MRO contracts since 2024, including five this year, according to Kim Il-dong, vice minister of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). But Kim said the significance of those contracts goes beyond the number of vessels serviced. “MRO is not an end in itself, but a gateway to broader cooperation,” Kim said during a policy seminar on Korea-U.S. defense industrial cooperation at the National Assembly, Wednesday. “The two countries should work to build on the experience gained through MRO and extend it to combat vessel maintenance and, eventually, shipbuilding." The seminar was co-hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) and the office of Rep. Yu Yong-weon of the People Power Party. Kim said Korean shipyards have been learning U.S. Navy procedures as we

Sep 10, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

Korea seeks to expand US naval cooperation from MRO to shipbuilding

Politics

Defense ministry confirms Hormuz assessment mission, denies US set Nov. deadline

The defense ministry confirmed Tuesday that it sent a team to the Middle East to assess conditions around the Strait of Hormuz, but denied reports that the United States had asked Korea to deploy military assets there by November. The ministry emphasized that the team’s mission was to assess the regional situation and security conditions and was not conducted on the assumption that Korean forces would eventually be deployed. “The claim that the U.S. requested the deployment of our assets to the Strait of Hormuz by a specified deadline is not true,” the ministry said in a statement. It added that no decision has been made regarding a possible deployment. A senior military source also cast doubt on the possibility of Korean forces being sent to the region as early as November. “The possibility of a deployment in November appears to be extremely low,” the source told The Korea Times. “It is difficult to confirm an exact date at this point.” The ministry’s statement came amid growing speculation over when and how Korea could contribute to international efforts to secure freedom

Sep 8, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

Defense ministry confirms Hormuz assessment mission, denies US set Nov. deadline

Politics

Can new defense minister nominee's US ties help navigate alliance challenges?

Defense minister nominee Kang Shin-chul is drawing attention not only for his extensive military career, but also for his experience working closely with U.S. commanders — particularly Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of the Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC) and U.S. Forces Korea. Military and defense officials who have worked with Kang describe him as someone who understands how the U.S. military thinks and prefers coordination over pushing his own position. That experience could prove useful as Seoul and Washington face sensitive negotiations over the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) and joint military exercises. Kang and Brunson served together at the CFC for about nine months, from Brunson’s arrival in Korea in December 2024 until Kang stepped down as deputy commander in September 2025. Their rapport was evident in a message Brunson posted on X (formerly Twitter) when Kang left the post. “Our forces are more cohesive, capable & prepared because of you,” Brunson wrote alongside a photo of the two generals. “I’m a better Commander for your example of mee

Sep 8, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

Can new defense minister nominee's US ties help navigate alliance challenges?

Politics

DPK chief pushes constitutional revision, leaves presidential term change open

Ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) leader Kim Min-seok said Monday that his party will push for constitutional revision, including changes to Korea’s presidential system, bringing the politically sensitive issue of presidential terms back into focus. Kim stopped short of endorsing a specific model, saying the scope of any change should ultimately be determined through public consensus. “We will pursue constitutional revision that is realistically achievable, reflecting changes in the times and the demands of the people while respecting the procedural principles of the Constitution and the law,” Kim said in his first parliamentary floor speech since becoming party leader. “Including the May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising and the Busan-Masan Democratic Protests in the preamble to the Constitution would be the starting point,” he said. “As for changes to the power structure, we should go as far as the public wants.” Kim’s remarks come as President Lee Jae Myung has called for changing the current single five-year presidential term to a system allowing a president to serv

Sep 7, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

DPK chief pushes constitutional revision, leaves presidential term change open

Defense

Maritime patrol aircraft, support ship among Korea's options for Strait of Hormuz mission

As Seoul weighs how to contribute to efforts to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, attention is turning to what military assets Korea could realistically send — and what missions they could perform without drawing the country directly into combat with Iran. Military experts say maritime surveillance, logistics support and mine-clearing operations could be the most practical roles for Korean forces in the Strait of Hormuz, allowing Seoul to contribute to securing the strategic waterway while limiting the risks of direct involvement in the conflict. Cheong Wa Dae said Friday that no decision has been made on whether to deploy forces or what assets could be sent, adding that it is considering a range of options, including combat, noncombat and search missions. Military readiness on the Korean Peninsula is also a key consideration. A Cheong Wa Dae official said Seoul could consider options that would not significantly undermine its readiness posture at home. Kang Eun-ho, former head of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and a professor at Korea Aerospace Uni

Sep 4, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

Bahk Eun-ji

Read more

Lee rules out Korean troop deployment in Iran war

COVER STORY Lee says he has 'no intention whatsoever' of seeking reelection

Korea's 1st unmanned military ground vehicle gets ready for battlefield

Defense minister nominee says conditions ripe for OPCON transfer

Korea's nuclear-powered submarines could take on broader Indo-Pacific role

Korea seeks to expand US naval cooperation from MRO to shipbuilding

Defense ministry confirms Hormuz assessment mission, denies US set Nov. deadline

Can new defense minister nominee's US ties help navigate alliance challenges?

DPK chief pushes constitutional revision, leaves presidential term change open

Maritime patrol aircraft, support ship among Korea's options for Strait of Hormuz mission

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