The Korea Times

Poland showcases dual-use technologies at MSPO 2025

KIELCE, Poland — In the country that produced Marie Curie, a figure synonymous with scientific innovation, Poland is once again presenting itself as a center of technology. This time, however, it was not a laboratory, but the exhibition halls of Kielce that hosted the 2025 International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO), which was themed “Dual Use and Security.” The four-day event from Sept. 2 to 5 brought together more than 800 companies from 40 countries. As well as showcasing new defense equipment, the exhibition highlighted the growing role of dual-use technology, as defense technology is now directly tied to civilian applications and industrial growth. At the exhibition, WB Group, Poland’s leading private defense company, displayed the largest presence. Founded in 1987, it has grown into a group comprising over 20 firms. At MSPO, the group displayed its battlefield management platforms, tactical radios, unmanned aerial vehicles and the Warmate loitering munition, which has been used in Ukraine. “Without communication, there is no such thing as a military — just a singl

Sep 8, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji

Poland showcases dual-use technologies at MSPO 2025

Poland highlights Korea as leading Asian investor, touting economic, cultural ties

Foreign Affairs

Korean workers detained in US immigration raid to be released soon: presidential office

The Korean government said Sunday that talks with U.S. authorities to release more than 300 Korean workers detained in Georgia were finished, and that only administrative steps remained before a chartered plane would be dispatched to bring them home. Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik announced the development at a high-level policy meeting in Seoul, saying the release as imminent thanks to swift cooperation among government ministries, business groups and companies. “Once the administrative procedures are finished, a charter flight will depart to bring our citizens back. Until they return safely, the government will stay fully alert,” Kang said. His remarks came about two days after the large-scale raid carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Homeland Security Investigations unit on Thursday (local time) led to the detention of 475 workers at the construction site of the HL-GA Battery Company, more than 300 of whom were Korean. The U.S. said the detainees were on short-term business or recreational visas that do not allow them to work. “The governme

Sep 7, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji

Korean workers detained in US immigration raid to be released soon: presidential office

Defense

Hanwha Aerospace to set up joint venture in Poland for Chunmoo rocket production

KIELCE, Poland — Hanwha Aerospace and Poland’s WB Group agreed to set up a joint venture, Tuesday (local time), for local production of guided rockets for the Korean-made Chunmoo multiple launch rocket system. The two sides held a signing ceremony for the agreement at the International Defense Industry Exhibition (MSPO) in Kielce, Poland. Under the deal, the new company will first manufacture 80-kilometer-range CGR-080 guided rockets to be deployed on the Homar-K, Poland’s variant of the Chunmoo. The joint venture plans to build new production facilities and hire local staff, with future goals including diversifying its munition lineups and pursuing export to other European countries. “Poland and Korea have both endured repeated invasions from larger neighbors, yet each has managed to overcome those hardships and grow stronger,” Son Jae-il, president and CEO of Hanwha Aerospace, said during the signing ceremony. “That shared history of overcoming invasions and adversity is what makes Korea and Poland the best partners for each other,” he said. Son added that the joint ventur

Sep 3, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji

Hanwha Aerospace to set up joint venture in Poland for Chunmoo rocket production

Politics

Ex-first lady Kim Keon Hee indicted over corruption charges

A special counsel team on Friday indicted Kim Keon Hee, wife of impeached former President Yoon Suk Yeol, on charges of political fund violations, stock manipulation and bribery. This is the first time in Korea’s history that the spouse of a former president has been indicted. She also became the first presidential spouse to be arrested when she was put behind bars on Aug. 12. Following Friday’s decision, both Yoon and Kim are set to face trial. Yoon was already arrested and indicted over his insurrection charges in connection with his martial law imposition in December 2024. According to the probe team, Kim faces three major charges. First, she allegedly took part in a stock manipulation scheme involving Deutsch Motors between 2010 and 2012, earning illicit profits of 810 million won ($582,552). Second, between 2021 and 2022, she and Yoon allegedly had political broker Myung Tae-gyun conduct opinion polls without paying fees worth 2.7 billion won. Finally, she allegedly accepted luxury goods, including a diamond necklace and Chanel handbags, valued at around 800 million won, from th

Aug 29, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji

Ex-first lady Kim Keon Hee indicted over corruption charges

North Korea

Kim Jong-un and S. Korean Assembly speaker may cross paths in China

As North Korean leader Kim Jong-un prepares to attend China’s Victory Day celebration on Wednesday, speculation is mounting over whether he could cross paths with Woo Won-shik, South Korea’s National Assembly speaker, who will also be in Beijing for the event. It would mark the first time under President Lee Jae Myung that senior figures from both Koreas appear on the same stage. The ceremony, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Asia, is expected to draw more than two dozen heads of state, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian leader Vladimir Putin. For Kim, it will be his first multilateral appearance in six years, after a stretch of intense focus on ties with Moscow. Beijing initially inquired about the attendance of South Korea’s president, but Seoul, after consultations with Washington and wary of sending mixed signals about alliance priorities, chose to send the Assembly speaker instead. The decision puts him in the unusual position of sharing a stage with the North's leader. Although a handshake would carry great symbolic significance, anal

Aug 28, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji

Kim Jong-un and S. Korean Assembly speaker may cross paths in China

People & Events

Remains of Korean War soldier killed on Armistice Day reunited with daughter

On the day the armistice halted the Korean War in July 1953, Army Sgt. Kim Geum-deuk, just 28, was killed in battle. Seven decades later, his remains have finally returned home, giving his only daughter a long-awaited chance to meet the father she barely knew and to reckon with a loss that has shadowed her entire life. Born in 1925 in Hamyang, South Gyeongsang Province, Kim was the fifth of seven siblings. In 1951, amid the war, he and his wife welcomed their daughter, Soon-im. Two years later, he left his young family behind and enlisted in the 7th Division of the Army. He was deployed to the front lines and took part in the bloody Battle of Jeokgeunsan and Samhyeon in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province. This clash saw two South Korean divisions fighting four Chinese divisions in a desperate struggle to stabilize the line. On July 27, 1953 — the very day the armistice was signed — Kim was killed in action. His bravery was recognized posthumously in 1963 with the Hwarang Order of Military Merit. Last November, the Agency for KIA Recovery and Identification (MAKRI), part of the Ministry of N

Aug 27, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji

Remains of Korean War soldier killed on Armistice Day reunited with daughter

Foreign Affairs

After summit, questions remain on defense costs, alliance and N. Korea

The first summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump concluded without incident, defying expectations of friction. After nearly two hours of talks at the White House, the two leaders presented a cordial front. However, analysts noted that significant questions remain unresolved, from how much Seoul will increase its defense spending to whether reshaping the bilateral alliance could eventually mean fewer American troops on the Korean Peninsula. Equally uncertain is how North Korea will respond to Trump’s pledge to reengage. For now, analysts said, the absence of explicit demands from Trump was significant in itself. Many had expected him to present Seoul with a hefty security bill to maintain the 28,500 American troops stationed on the Korean Peninsula, either by pressing for higher cost-sharing or by raising the prospect of reductions. But no such moment ever came. Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean studies at Ewha Womans University, said the outcome was better than many had anticipated. “This summit took place on an uneven playing field, so [South]

Aug 27, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji

After summit, questions remain on defense costs, alliance and N. Korea

Foreign Affairs

SUMMIT Trump floats US ownership of bases in Korea, challenging decades-old pact

U.S. President Donald Trump caused a stir during his first summit with President Lee Jae Myung on Monday by suggesting that Washington could seek ownership of land used for American bases in Korea. This remark, made at the White House, marked a sharp break from the agreement that has long governed the U.S. military on the peninsula for decades. When asked whether he would consider reducing the number of U.S. troops stationed in South Korea, Trump declined to provide a direct answer. “Well, I don’t want to say that now, because we’ve been friends and we’re friends,” he told reporters. He then moved on to the issue of bases, adding, “They would say, 'but we gave you land.' I said, 'no, you didn’t. You lease us land.' There’s a big difference between giving and leasing. Maybe one of the things I’d like to do is ask them to give us ownership of the land where we have the big fort.” His use of the word "fort" underscored Trump's blunt style when it comes to framing alliance matters. This remark stands in contrast to decades of bilateral agreements, including the Mutual Def

Aug 26, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji

[SUMMIT] Trump floats US ownership of bases in Korea, challenging decades-old pact

Defense

Military eyes updated drone playbook for new era of warfare

Facing a rapid evolution in aerial combat, Korea's military has begun drafting a unified playbook for drone warfare in a move that signals a fundamental shift in its strategy for future conflicts. The initiative aims to replace the disparate instructions currently used by each branch with a single, standardized manual for the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Officials announced on Monday that the Drone Operations Command has been designated as the lead research body to draft the joint drone operations manual. The command has launched a preliminary study lasting three months to gather case studies and technical data from Korea and abroad, with the aim of establishing a comprehensive set of instructions. “Recent conflicts, including the war between Russia and Ukraine, have highlighted the growing role of drones in modern warfare,” an official from the command said. “We are now in the early research stage to prepare for establishing a full manual.” The move to standardize drone operations comes as Korea faces growing unconventional threats from its neighbor to the north, whi

Aug 25, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji

Military eyes updated drone playbook for new era of warfare

Politics

Ceremony held to celebrate launch of Lee gov’t with citizens

President Lee Jae Myung celebrated the beginning of his administration in a special ceremony Friday, presenting a pledge to keep citizens at the heart of his government. Held at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul in the evening, the event was organized after Lee’s inauguration on June 4 took place without the usual ceremony inviting dignitaries from home and abroad as well as citizens. Lee took office just one day after winning the snap presidential election, without the customary two-month transition period. The presidential office said the ceremony, in which citizens “appointed” the president, was designed to be “a festival where citizens, as the true holders of sovereignty, appoint the president themselves.” While thousands of citizens attended, 80 people from across the country, representing fields ranging from science and medicine to agriculture, the arts and grassroots leadership, presented Lee with symbolic “letters of appointment.” These letters took the form of illuminated plaques, which were placed inside a large cube at the center of the square. Each plaque rep

Aug 15, 2025By Bahk Eun-ji

Bahk Eun-ji

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Poland showcases dual-use technologies at MSPO 2025

Korean workers detained in US immigration raid to be released soon: presidential office

Hanwha Aerospace to set up joint venture in Poland for Chunmoo rocket production

Ex-first lady Kim Keon Hee indicted over corruption charges

Kim Jong-un and S. Korean Assembly speaker may cross paths in China

Remains of Korean War soldier killed on Armistice Day reunited with daughter

After summit, questions remain on defense costs, alliance and N. Korea

SUMMIT Trump floats US ownership of bases in Korea, challenging decades-old pact

Military eyes updated drone playbook for new era of warfare

Ceremony held to celebrate launch of Lee gov’t with citizens

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