The Korea Times

2 US fighters make forced landing

By Jun Ji-hye Two U.S. F-16s made a forced landing at a South Korean air base in Gangwon Province Thursday due to suspected fuselage problems, military officers said Friday.The fighter jets, which were undergoing shooting training at an air range in the province, landed at Wonju Air Base after pilots detected abnormal fuselage signs on their instrument panels.The jets took off from the U.S. 8th Fighter Wing based in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province.No casualties have been reported.“Upon detecting signs of problems with the bodies of the planes, the pilots halted their mission immediately and landed in Wonju,” an officer told reporters, requesting anonymity.Officers noted that failure with the engine oil system was presumed to be the problem, adding that the maintenance evaluation team in Gunsan was dispatched to Wonju to maintain the aircraft.Since 2004, The U.S. Air Force has deployed such fighters as F-15s and F-16s in South Korea on a rotational basis every four or six months to strengthen the defensive capabilities of the United Sates Forces Korea against North Kore

Jun 12, 2015By Jun Ji-hye

South Korea

US to ask Seoul for official discussion on THAAD

By Jun Ji-hyeThe United States will soon ask South Korea to have an official discussion on the deployment of the THAAD missile system on the Korean Peninsula, government sources said, Thursday.“It has become a fait accompli that the United States will make an official request for the THAAD deployment here,” a source said. “It is just a matter of time.”THAAD, or the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, is widely regarded as the core of the U.S. ballistic missile defense system.The official noted that the U.S. will attempt to explore Seoul’s intent before it makes a final decision on the deployment.The official, asking not to be named, indicated that the two governments had already embarked on preparations and consultations before the official discussion.The Ministry of National Defense reaffirmed its stance over the issue.“If the U.S. asks for an official discussion, the government will look into whether THAAD will be helpful in boosting our effectiveness in military aspects and national security,” ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said. “

Jun 11, 2015By Jun Ji-hye

People & Events

Korean-American writer calls NK gulag

Suki KimBy Jun Ji-hye Korean-American author Suki Kim describes North Korea as a giant gulag after her six-month experience as an English teacher at an elite school in Pyongyang.In a video recently uploaded on the website of TED, a nonprofit organization, Kim described the Great Leader comprehensively.“Every book, every newspaper article, every song, every TV program ― there is just one subject,” she said. “The flowers are named after him; the mountains are carved with his slogans. Every citizen wears the badge of the Great Leader at all times. Even their calendar system begins with the birth of Kim Il-Sung.”She also noted that Pyongyang University of Science and Technology was a heavily guarded prison, posing as a campus.“Teachers could only leave on group outings accompanied by an official minder. We were never allowed to discuss the outside world,” she said.The account of her six months in the secretive state teaching English led to the publication of the investigative memoir, “Without You, There Is No Us: My Time with the Sons o

Jun 10, 2015By Jun Ji-hye

South Korea

US Pacific commander affirms stern response to NK provocations

Adm. Harry Harris, second from left in front row, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, looks at the salvaged warship Cheonan at the Navy’s 2nd Fleet Command in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, after paying a tribute to the sailors who died after the ship was torpedoed by North Korea in March 2010. Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Adm. Choi Yoon-hee, third from left, joined the guided tour. / YonhapBy Jun Ji-hye The new head of the U.S. Pacific Command, Adm. Harry Harris Jr., vowed Wednesday that there will be a firm response to any provocation by North Korea, while paying tribute to South Korean sailors killed in Pyongyang’s deadly 2010 attack on the warship Cheonan.The visiting commander, who assumed the position on May 27, made the pledge during his visit to the Navy’s 2nd Fleet Command in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, where the wreckage of the ill-fated frigate is on display.“I believe North Korea is dangerous, it’s unpredictable and it’s led by a leader who is arrogant,” he said. “I consider North Korea a rogue nation discredi

Jun 10, 2015By Jun Ji-hye

South Korea

Park's leadership put to test

By Jun Ji-hye President Park Geun-hyeSkepticism about President Park Geun-hye’s leadership has risen again amid the government’s bungled response to the outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).The failed initial response is seen by some as reminiscent of the first hours during the sinking of Sewol ferry in April, last year, which raised serious questions about Park’s leadership.The two incidents have two common points ― the absence of a proper control tower and the failure of the initial response.Park’s lack of communication with her aides and insufficient understanding of the situation was proven again on June 1 when she said “The number of confirmed patients as of today was 15.” This meeting took place 12 days after the outbreak, when the actual number of confirmed cases was 18.This incompetence when coping with disasters and emergencies immediately caused a drop in her approval ratings.A Gallup survey conducted on June 2 to 4 showed that only 34 percent of respondents supported the President, while 55 percent disagreed with

Jun 9, 2015By Jun Ji-hye

South Korea

Confirmed engine failure of F-35 raises concerns in Seoul

F-35 stealth fighterBy Jun Ji-hyeConcerns have grown over the Air Force’s planned purchase of 40 Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighters after reports of a “catastrophic engine failure.”The U.S. Air Force unveiled results of an investigation Friday, stating that this was the cause of an F-35 engine fire last summer in Florida.  Rep. Jin Sung-joon of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) warned Monday about the military’s possible easygoing attitude that the failure would be resolved by the time the nation imports the fighter jets.“The authorities must carefully check the matter as it is directly related to the safety of our pilots,” he said.A government official noted on condition of anonymity that now is not the time to comment on a possible review of the $7 billion deal signed by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) to purchase the F-35s. He added, however, that “It is necessary to closely monitor the situation.”According to the Air Education and Training Command Accident Investigation

Jun 8, 2015By Jun Ji-hye

South Korea

Parties go bipartisan on MERS

By Jun Ji-hye The ruling and opposition parties agreed Sunday to work closely together to overcome the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) epidemic at the earliest possible date.They decided to establish a joint committee for the task.Eight senior lawmakers from both sides also decided to give top priority to a legislative effort to help fight the MERS outbreak.The National Assembly’s extraordinary session begins today.Ruling Saenuri Party Chairman Rep. Kim Moo-sung and his main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) counterpart Rep. Moon Jae-in led the meeting.  The lawmakers called on the government to establish comprehensive countermeasures through close consultation with local governments, education offices and private experts.“The government must provide necessary information to the public in a prompt manner and share such information with local governments,” they said in a statement.The lawmakers also urged the government to consider upgrading the MERS alert level from “watch” to “warning.”The bills will see

Jun 7, 2015By Jun Ji-hye

24 MERS-hit hospitals disclosed

South Korea

ROK-US combined division launched

By Jun Ji-hyeSouth Korea and the United States launched a combined division Wednesday as part of efforts to bolster deterrence against North Korea.The creation came after Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Choi Yoon-hee and U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti agreed to a force enhancement plan in July last year to fortify their joint defense posture and “tactical-level” combat capabilities to better deter threats from Pyongyang.A ceremony to commemorate the successful creation of the division took place at Camp Red Cloud, the headquarters of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division (2ID), in Uijeongbu, just north of Seoul.The new division consists of 2ID and a brigade from the ROK Army. It is commanded by Maj. Gen. Theodore D. Martin, commander of 2ID, with a Korean brigadier general as his deputy, according to the Ministry of National Defense.The ministry said that each entity will carry out normal duties within its assigned area during peacetime, with a skeleton crew of 30 staff from the South Korean army staying at Camp Red Cloud. The division will be act

Jun 3, 2015By Jun Ji-hye

Foreign Affairs

US apologizes for anthrax case

U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, left, Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, center, and South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo hold hands before their talks on the sidelines of the 14th Asia Security Summit, also known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, in Singapore, Saturday.Japan vows to seek  approval before military activities on peninsulaBy Jun Ji-hyeU.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter made an official apology Saturday after a live anthrax sample was mistakenly shipped to a U.S. military lab in South Korea.During talks with his South Korean counterpart Han Min-koo in Singapore, Carter also promised to share information with Seoul about an ongoing investigation into the incident and hold responsible those involved in the inadvertent delivery of the hazardous material from the United States, according to Seoul officials."Carter extended his apology to Minister Han for the incident and vowed to take appropriate measures to prevent a recurrence," an official at Seoul's Ministry of National Defense told reporters on condition of anonymity.The two defense chiefs met on the

May 30, 2015By Jun Ji-hye

South Korea

Anthrax case triggers calls for scrutiny of USFK goods

Defense chiefs to discuss issue SaturdayBy Jun Ji-hye Calls are increasing here for the strengthening of rules for declaration when United States Forces Korea (USFK) brings hazardous materials into South Korea.Opposition parties and civic groups have demanded the government revise the ROK-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), the bilateral agreement on U.S. troops here, to accomplish this.The move comes on the heels of a revelation live samples of anthrax were accidentally sent to the USFK’s Osan Air Base, south of Seoul, for tests.As the controversy has escalated, the two countries agreed to address the issue at talks between U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter and his South Korean counterpart Han Min-koo Saturday in Singapore during the 14th Asian Security Summit, called the Shangri-La Dialogue.The sending of such samples ― alive or dead ― without notifying the Korean government appears to be a violation of the SOFA obligation of giving notice to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).The USFK did not make a prior report because it believ

May 29, 2015By Jun Ji-hye

Jun Ji-hye

Read more

2 US fighters make forced landing

US to ask Seoul for official discussion on THAAD

Korean-American writer calls NK gulag

US Pacific commander affirms stern response to NK provocations

Park's leadership put to test

Confirmed engine failure of F-35 raises concerns in Seoul

Parties go bipartisan on MERS

ROK-US combined division launched

US apologizes for anthrax case

Anthrax case triggers calls for scrutiny of USFK goods

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