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Why did F-15K fighter jets make emergency takeoff?

A mysterious flying object that caused two F-15K fighter jets to be scrambled on Jan. 12 was a toy balloon, according to the Korea Air Force on Tuesday. / Courtesy of TwitterBy Lee Han-sooA mysterious flying object that caused two F-15K fighter jets to be scrambled on Jan. 12 was a toy balloon, according to the Korea Air Force on Tuesday. The Air Force was on alert because, just three days before, 10 Chinese fighter jets and bombers broke into South Korean airspace in an apparent protest against the plan to deploy a U.S. missile defense system on Korean soil.“The Master Control and Reporting Center (MCRC) ordered two F-15K jets to take off to identify an unidentified flying object after it failed to do so with ground radar,” the Air Force official said. “When the fighter jets closed in on the object, it turned out to be a big balloon.”The Air Force did not elaborate on the balloon, including where it flew from. But it revealed that it was “big” and its surface had the image of Japanese cartoon character “Doraemon.”

Feb 8, 2017
Why did F-15K fighter jets make emergency takeoff?

S. Korea, Indonesia to open joint office for KF-X project

South Korea and Indonesia will open a joint office in Seoul on Wednesday to carry out close consultations in the KF-X fighter aircraft development project, the state defense procurement agency said Wednesday."The opening of the joint office will not only help the two countries exchange views on pending issues during the KF-X project but also allow them to effectively fine-tune differences," Jung Kwang-sun, director general for the KF-X Program Group at the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), said in a statement.Seoul and Jakarta signed a 8.1 trillion-won ($7.1 billion) deal to jointly develop the KF-X/IF-X 4.5-generation fighter in January last year, with the latter investing 1.7 trillion won for a 20 percent stake in the project.The project is led by South Korea's DAPA, with the Korea Aerospace Industries Co. (KAI), the country's sole aircraft manufacturer, leading the development, the spokesman said. The preliminary design phase for the KF-X/IF-X began in December and is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2018. A prototype is due to fly in 2021 or

Feb 8, 2017
S. Korea, Indonesia to open joint office for KF-X project

White House: Trump stands with S. Korea, committed to preventing N. Korean hostile acts

U.S. President Donald Trump wants to reassure South Korea that the U.S. stands with the Asian ally and will prevent any further hostile actions from North Korea, the White House said Tuesday.White House press secretary Sean Spicer made the remark at a regular briefing, recalling a phone conversation that Trump had with Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn last week."He had a conversation the other day. We look forward to fulfilling that conversation," Spicer said."I think obviously the threat of North Korea is the most prominent issue that faces South Korea and our alliance right now. He wants to reassure the South Korean government, the Blue House, that we're going to do what we can to make sure that we stand with South Korea and that we prevent any further hostile actions from North Korea," he said. "So I think the safety of our country, of South Korea, of the region are going to be clearly the greatest focus of this."During the Jan. 29 phone call, Trump reaffirmed the U.S. "ironclad commitment" to South Korea's defense, including through the provision of extended dete

Feb 8, 2017
White House: Trump stands with S. Korea, committed to preventing N. Korean hostile acts

Korea, US will hold largest-ever joint military drills

By Jun Ji-hyeSouth Korea and the United States will hold the largest-ever Key Resolve and Foal Eagle joint military exercises beginning next month, defense officials here said Tuesday.This may escalate tension on the Korean Peninsula because North Korea has claimed that the joint drills are part of Washington’s preparations for a war against the North.Last week, Defense Minister Han Min-koo and his U.S. counterpart James Mattis agreed on the need to carry out the strengthened annual exercises this year amid evolving nuclear and missile threats from North Korea. The two defense chiefs made the agreement during their talks in Seoul.“Working-level officials between the two nations are close to reaching a consensus on expanding the scale of the drills compared to those of last year,” a military official said on condition of anonymity. “The two sides are also exchanging opinions on whether Washington will send its strategic weapons for the drills.”Last year, 310,000 troops from South Korea and 17,000 from the United States participated in the exercises. Offic

Feb 7, 2017

Trump advised against rushing THAAD deal

By Jun Ji-hyeThe United States is rushing to deploy an advanced anti-missile system here possibly before a new South Korean leader takes office, analysts said Tuesday.Washington is jittery about the possibility that the new leader, who will most likely come from the opposition bloc, could reconsider the deployment decision made by the Park Geun-hye administration, they noted.However, the rush is triggering concerns here because an early deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery may have serious implications for the next government amid rising protests from China and Russia.It is obvious that the next government will have to bear the brunt of any hasty deployment.Some analysts claim that it is improper for President Donald Trump’s administration to push for the deployment while Seoul is suffering from a leadership crisis caused by President Park’s impeachment. They say the issue should be handed over to the next government for possible renegotiations.If Park’s impeachment is backed by the Constitutional Court this or next month — which

Feb 7, 2017
Trump advised against rushing THAAD deal

N. Korea has yet to master ICBM technologies

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has claimed Pyongyang is ready to test-fire an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), but military experts say the test is highly likely to fail as the country’s progress in key technologies remains dubious. They say Kim’s ICBM threat is an apparent effort to send a message to the new U.S. administration of President Donald Trump. / Graphic by Cho Sang-wonBy Jun Ji-hyeNorth Korea still has a lot of work to do in developing an operational intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), so the test it threatened to do will almost certainly end in failure, according to military experts.They said the North seems to have made progress in some technologies related to the intermediate- and long-range missile, such as stage separation, clustering of engines and guidance and control systems, but its progress in reentry vehicle capability and engine performance remain dubious.The analysis came as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un claimed, in his New Year’s Day address, that Pyongyang has entered the final stage of preparations to test-fire an ICBM

Feb 6, 2017
N. Korea has yet to master ICBM technologies

US may opt for pre-emptive strike against N. Korea

Hardliners gaining ground in WashingtonBy Rachel LeeCalls in the United States for a pre-emptive strike against North Korea are growing amid escalating tension after Pyongyang said it was apparently ready to test-fire an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at any time from any location.Hardliners in the Donald Trump administration — who are leading the country’s security and diplomacy agenda — have argued that a pre-emptive strike and regime change may be among options in dealing with North Korea, which is determined to develop nuclear weapons.At a hearing on confronting North Korean threats last week, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker called them “one of the most urgent security challenges” facing the U.S. He pointed out the current approach was “not working” and the urgency of the threats necessitated that Washington spend some time “thinking outside the box about U.S. strategy toward North Korea.”Corker then said: “For example, does the pursuit of North Korean denuclearization remain a realis

Feb 5, 2017
US may opt for pre-emptive strike against N. Korea

Mattis's visit gives THAAD deployment momentum

By Jun Ji-hye Seoul and Washington’s plan to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here within the year is gaining considerable momentum after the visit of U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis.During his highly symbolic first overseas trip since taking office last month, Washington’s top defense official stressed, among other things, that the advanced anti-missile system was absolutely necessary to defend against North Korean threats so the deployment would go as planned.The retired Marine Corps general said Friday, ahead of his meeting with Seoul’s Defense Minister Han Min-koo, “We are taking defense steps like deploying the highly effective THAAD anti-missile unit to the Republic of Korea to protect its people and our troops that are stationed with our ally.”During his meeting with Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se earlier in the day, Mattis also reaffirmed the determination to move ahead as planned.This was seen as an apparent effort to remove speculation that the deployment decision, made last year under the leadership of Presi

Feb 3, 2017

US defense chief arrives in Seoul

Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn, right, and U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis shake hands during a meeting at the Government Complex in Seoul, Thursday. /  Joint press corpsKorea-US defense talks will be held todayBy Jun Ji-hyeU.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis arrived in South Korea, Thursday, in his highly symbolic first overseas trip since taking office less than two weeks ago.Mattis said earlier that he chose South Korea as his first destination as the Seoul-Washington alliance is very significant amid growing North Korean threats. This was seen as an apparent effort to reassure key allies unsettled by U.S. President Donald Trump’s accusation during his campaign that Seoul and Tokyo have been “free-riding” on U.S. security commitments. Trump has significantly toned down this rhetoric since his election and has talked increasingly about the importance of the alliance.Mattis’s trip also includes a stopover in Japan, Friday.While staying here for two days, he is scheduled to hold talks with Defense Minister Han Min-koo, today, to discuss measures to bett

Feb 2, 2017
US defense chief arrives in Seoul

Mattis departs for S. Korea on first overseas trip aimed at reaffirming alliance

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis departed for South Korea on Wednesday in his highly symbolic first overseas trip designed to underscore the U.S. security commitment to the Asian ally in the face of a saber-rattling North Korea.The trip, which also includes a stop in Japan later this week, comes as tensions are running high on the Korean Peninsula after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said the country is close to test-firing an intercontinental ballistic missile apparently capable of reaching the U.S.It is Mattis' first overseas visit since taking office less than two weeks ago. That underscores the seriousness and urgency with which the retired Marine Corps general takes the threats from North Korea, as well as the importance of the alliances with South Korea and Japan in dealing with the provocative regime.More than anything else, the trip is aimed at reassuring the key allies unsettled by U.S. President Donald Trump's campaign rhetoric accusing them of free-riding on U.S. security commitments, though Trump has significantly toned it down since the election and has talked increasi

Feb 2, 2017
Mattis departs for S. Korea on first overseas trip aimed at reaffirming alliance
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