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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

Securing powerful weapons is Moon's primary goal

By Jun Ji-hyeThe government is moving in earnest to enhance the nation’s own defense capabilities as President Moon Jae-in vowed to do better in dealing with North Korean threats and ensuring peace on the Korean Peninsula.The ongoing efforts include pushing to build the nuclear-powered submarines and lift the limit on the maximum weight of a warhead to be mounted on an 800-kilometer range ballistic missile.Supporters for these efforts say having their own nuclear submarines would be the only way to counter threats from North Korean submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM). They also say increasing the payload of the missile arsenal would bolster Seoul’s capability of striking Pyongyang’s underground bunker facilities in which the North Korean leadership would hide in the event of war.Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon said on a live news show Wednesday, “I think the time is ripe for us to review a plan to build the nuclear-powered submarines.”The comment was in line with what President Moon vowed during the presidential campaign. At the time, Moon said &ldqu

Aug 18, 2017

S, Korea-US to hold joint military exercises next week

The United States will hold joint military exercises with South Korea next week regardless of North Korea's opposition to them, the State Department said Wednesday.Heather Nauert, a department spokeswoman, reaffirmed that the computer-based drills will kick off in South Korea Monday despite recent tensions over the North's nuclear and missile programs."We will continue to conduct joint military exercises," she told foreign reporters during a briefing, noting that such drills are conducted routinely with many allies around the world.She went further to reject calls for a so-called "double freeze," or the suspension of the exercises in exchange for a stop to North Korea's provocations. That idea was recently floated by China and Russia. Nauert declined to comment on whether the exercises could be scaled back, saying it's a question for the Pentagon.In response to a similar question earlier this week, Pentagon spokesman Col. Rob Manning declined to get into specific exercise scenarios."What I will tell you is that it remains focused on readiness of the ROK and U.S. forces, and it r

Aug 17, 2017
S, Korea-US to hold joint military exercises next week
  • Moon says US will not take military option against N. Korea without his consent

S. Korea, US urge Pyongyang to stop missile tests

By Jun Ji-hyeThe defense ministers of South Korea and the United States condemned North Korea’s continuous nuclear and missile threats Wednesday, calling on Pyongyang to halt them.The two also confirmed that they will closely discuss all potential actions against North Korean threats, according to the Ministry of National Defense.Defense Minister Song Young-moo and his U.S. counterpart, Secretary of Defense James Mattis, had a phone conversation amid escalating tension on the Korean Peninsula following Pyongyang’s continuous missile tests and its threat to launch missiles toward the U.S. territory of Guam.“They urged North Korea to refrain from making further provocations,” the ministry said in a press release. “Mattis also confirmed that the U.S. would use diplomatic and economic pressure first (rather than military options).”Mattis also said the U.S. would protect South Korea from any North Korean attacks by using all of its capabilities, the ministry said. Song stressed the need for a strong alliance to resolve the North Korea issue peacefully.

Aug 16, 2017
S. Korea, US urge Pyongyang to stop missile tests

Moon stresses peaceful NK resolution

President Moon Jae-in shakes hands with U.S. Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford during their meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Monday. / YonhapUS top general supports diplomatic, economic measuresBy Jun Ji-hye President Moon Jae-in said Monday there cannot be another war on the Korean Peninsula and the North Korean nuclear and missile issues should be resolved peacefully.Moon demanded North Korea immediately stop its bellicose rhetoric and threats that are aggravating the situation.He said that if the North chooses the “right path,” the South is ready to boost exchanges and cooperation with it, which will be beneficial for both sides.The President made the remarks during a meeting with his senior secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae.He vowed that the government will make all-out efforts to resolve tension through close cooperation with major allies including the United States.Stressing the top priority of South Korea is maintaining peace, Moon said North Korean issues should be resolved peacefully and that the U.S. government’s position is the same.“A tragic war c

Aug 14, 2017
Moon stresses peaceful NK resolution
  • ICBMs break 'strategic balance' in Korea
  • Keep Calm and Stay in Seoul

US military chief visits Seoul amid high military tension

By Jun Ji-hyeThe Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Gen. Joseph Dunford visited South Korea Sunday for talks with President Moon Jae-in and defense officials here on how better to deal with tension on the Korean Peninsula following North Korea’s threats to fire its strategic missiles.The two-day visit is part of Dunford’s tour of three Asian countries. He visited Japan before coming here, and afterward he will visit China.“Gen. Dunford is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on President Moon Monday during which time National Security Office head  Chung Eui-yong, Defense Minister Song Young-moo and Seoul’s JCS Chairman, Gen. Lee Sun-jin, will be also present,” a Cheong Wa Dae official said.  Their talks are expected to center on the latest exchange of bellicose rhetoric between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump.Last week, the North threatened to strike areas around Guam with its missiles topped with nuclear warheads in response to President Trump’s warnings of “fire and fury.”Trump also

Aug 13, 2017

Trump-Xi talks may turn tide of NK crisis

By Jun Ji-hyeU.S. President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping agreed to the peaceful resolution of North Korean issues during their telephone conversation Saturday, raising hopes for a breakthrough on the Korean Peninsula.The White House said in a statement, “The presidents also reiterated their mutual commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” adding, “The relationship between the two presidents is an extremely close one, and will hopefully lead to a peaceful resolution of the North Korea problem.”The phone talks come amid mounting tensions following the exchange of fiery verbal threats between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and President Trump.Last week, Kim threatened to strike areas around Guam with missiles in response to Trump’s warnings of “fire and fury like the world has never seen.” Trump also tweeted that the U.S. military is “locked and loaded” to deal with the North’s provocations.Such bellicose rhetoric has raised military tensions here, with some U.S. defense officials even

Aug 13, 2017

S. Korea, US reaffirm 'close and transparent' cooperation

By Choi Ha-youngChung Eui-yong, left, and H.R. McMasterTop security advisers from Seoul and Washington vowed “close and transparent cooperation” between the allies in containing North Korea’s further provocations, South Korea’s presidential spokesman said Friday following their phone conversation.On Friday, Chung Eui-yong, the chief of Seoul’s Presidential National Security Office, and his U.S. counterpart H.R. McMaster discussed “measures in each stage” to be taken in accordance with the growing threats posed by the nuclear-armed country.“To ensure the two countries’ security and our citizens’ safety, the two sides reaffirmed their promise to closely and transparently cooperate on the future steps that will be taken in each stage,” presidential spokesman Park Su-hyun said.The dialogue is an apparent signal to quell the concerns in South Korea that it may be isolated in the U.S.’s possible military actions against the North. The spokesman refused to reveal details of the measures citing security reasons.Following

Aug 11, 2017
S. Korea, US reaffirm 'close and transparent' cooperation

Seoul urges Pyongyang not to escalate tension

By Jun Ji-hyeCheong Wa Dae urged North Korea to immediately stop behavior that raises military tension on and around the Korean Peninsula after a National Security Council (NSC) meeting, Thursday.The presidential office also vowed to mobilize every possible means to ease tension through close cooperation with neighboring countries including the United States.The two-hour meeting was chaired by President Moon Jae-in’s top security adviser, Chung Eui-yong.Giving a briefing on the results of the NSC meeting, presidential spokesman Park Soo-hyun said, “The NSC assessed that the security situation around the peninsula has become very serious due to North Korea’s repeated provocations and threats.”Stressing that possible armed conflict would not help any countries, Park said the government will actively exercise diplomatic efforts to bring Pyongyang to the negotiation table.“We will leave the door open for dialogue,” the spokesman said.The emergency NSC meeting was held amid escalating tension here following North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. Presi

Aug 10, 2017
  • Trump urged to stop 'bombastic rhetoric'

S. Korea vows strong military retaliation against N. Korea over possible attack on US

South Korea's military warned Thursday that North Korea will pay a harsh price for an attack on the South or its ally the United States.The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) issued the strongly worded message in response to the North's continued war rhetoric, including a threat to fire ballistic missiles toward Guam.Should the North ignore the warning and provoke, it will face "the allies' strong and resolute retaliation," Army Col. Roh Jae-cheon, the JCS spokesman, said in a statement.It's unusual for the South's military to issue such a warning message against the North for verbal threats, not missile or nuclear testing.He denounced the North for a series of "reckless rhetoric" such as "turning Seoul into sea of fire," "pre-emptive retaliatory operation" and "enveloping fire around Guam.""It's a serious challenge to our people and the South Korea-U.S. alliance," he said.The allies are all set to counter the North's provocation immediately and sternly, he stressed.He would not go into details of specific scenarios the military is considering.Asked about a possible indication of the North'

Aug 10, 2017
  • Moon to hold emergency meeting over N. Korean missile threats

B-1B bombers conduct drill over S. Korea again

By Yi Whan-wooThe military said Wednesday that two U.S. B-1B Lancer strategic bombers conducted a bombing drill over South Korea, Tuesday.This is the latest U.S. show of force in the region following North Korea’s series of ballistic missile tests last month.The U.S also deployed the B-1B bombers on July 30 and August 8 in response to North Korea’s two intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests.“We’re told that the U.S. sent two B-1B bombers yesterday morning,” a military official said Wednesday. “We believe such a deployment was not made public yesterday because it was part of a routine exercise.”The long-range bombers entered South Korean airspace after departing from Anderson Air Base on Guam.They entered from air space above the East Sea and were joined by F-15K and F-16 fighter jets in the drill.They flew westward and headed back to Guam after ending the exercise.North Korea, which has reacted angrily about the deployment of U.S. strategic assets on the Korea Peninsula, denounced the flight by the bombers.“The U.S. made a mili

Aug 9, 2017
  • Trump warns of 'fire and fury'; N. Korea threatens to strike Guam
  • Guam residents 'very concerned' over N. Korea's missile threat
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