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USFK resumes Korean speech contest after 3 years

The Eighth United States Army’s Republic of Korea (ROK) Army Support Group held its 16th “Korean English speech contest” on Wednesday, in recognition of the 570th anniversary of Hangul (Korea’s national language) Proclamation Day on Oct. 9. / YonhapBy Hong Dam-youngThe Eighth United States Army’s Republic of Korea (ROK) Army Support Group held its 16th “Korean English speech contest” on Wednesday, in recognition of the 570th anniversary of Hangul (Korea’s national language) Proclamation Day on Oct. 9. The annual contest aims to solidify the bond between the two countries.The event was held in two categories -- a Korean speech contest for U.S. troops and an English speech contest for Korean students -- at the USAG-Yongsan Multi Purpose Training Facility (MPTF) from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. The preliminary contest was at regional army bases from Sept. 5 to 20.In the final round of the Korean contest, eight U.S. soldiers delivered three-minute speeches on topics related to the ROK and the U.S., such as “my first impres

Oct 5, 2016

USFK resumes Korean speech contest after 3 years

S. Korea buys more Taurus missiles amid N. Korea nuke threats

South Korea plans to buy more Taurus air-to-surface missiles that can strike North Korea's nuclear and missile facilities, military officials said Tuesday. "The military has recently decided to acquire 90 more Taurus missiles to further beef up its anti-nuclear and anti-missile capabilities. The process to purchase the additional missiles is underway," a defense ministry official told Yonhap News Agency.Some 170 Taurus missiles are already scheduled to be deployed with the Air Force. The North's fifth nuclear test last month and continued ballistic missile launches resulted in the additional purchase.When the deployment is complete, the Air Force will be the first Asian country to operate fighter jets armed with the advanced German 500-kilometer-ranged missile system, the official said.The air-launched cruise missile can automatically detect, trace and hit targets and penetrate a concrete wall as thick as six meters.Meanwhile, the military is also considering adopting the small diameter bomb II, or SDB II, which can destroy moving targets more than 60 kilometers away in all kind

Oct 4, 2016

S. Korea buys more Taurus missiles amid N. Korea nuke threats

'S. Korea should prepare for nuclear armament,' says Gyeonggi governor

Gov. Nam Kyung-pil of Gyeonggi Province. / YonhapA South Korean governor who is believed to be a potential presidential candidate for the ruling party has said the country should prepare for nuclear armament in the face of North Korea's growing nuclear threats.Gov. Nam Kyung-pil of Gyeonggi Province made the remarks in an interview with Yonhap News Agency Sunday, citing concerns the United States may withdraw its nuclear umbrella from over South Korea."It's time for us to consider various options, and one of them is to prepare for nuclear armament," he said. "Preparations for nuclear armament should begin with the next government, or, in fact, now."The governor argued that although nuclear weapons can't be obtained immediately, South Korea can start discussing the issue with the U.S. after preparing for it internally.On the South Korea-U.S. military alliance, Nam claimed there has been a shift in U.S. public perception toward it, which could lead to a shift in Washington's nuclear umbrella policy."If Trump wins the election, this change in the nuclear umbrella policy could very quick

Oct 3, 2016

Is US preparing preemptive strike on North Korea?

South Korea has had no discussions whatsoever with the United States about a preemptive strike on North Korea, Seoul's ambassador to Washington said.Amb. Ahn Ho-young made the remark during a parliamentary audit of his embassy on Saturday as talk of removing North Korea's nuclear facilities through a military strike has surfaced in the U.S. in the wake of Pyongyang's fifth nuclear test."We've had no such discussions at least here in Washington," Ahn said during the audit held at the embassy. "We've never received a request from the U.S. government for discussions about a preemptive strike."Last month, an independent task force report from the Council on Foreign Relations suggested that the U.S., South Korea and Japan should send a strong message to the North that future aggression will be met with a strong response, including "strikes against military targets inside North Korea."Former U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mike Mullen also said during a CFR discussion that it's important to develop "the capability to defend ourselves, which could theoretically take out launch capabilit

Oct 3, 2016

Is US preparing preemptive strike on North Korea?

S. Korea's military cyber command hacked

South Korea's cyber command established to counter external hacking attempts on the country's military was found to have been hacked last month, a lawmaker said Saturday, raising speculation that North Korea might be behind the latest cyber attack.Rep. Kim Jin-pyo, a lawmaker of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea, told Yonhap News Agency in a telephone interview that the hacking targeted the "vaccine routing server" installed at the cyber command.Kim is a member of the parliament's national defense committee."A malicious code has been identified and it seems to have taken advantage of the vulnerability of the routing server," he said. "In a cautious measure, the server has been separated from the network."  The server is tasked with security on computers that military has for Internet-connection purpose. Around 20,000 military computers are known to have been connected to the server.Kim said that chances are "very low" that the latest hacking led to a leak of confidential information given that the military's intranet is not connected to the server.An investigation is und

Oct 2, 2016

S. Korea's military cyber command hacked

Park to host luncheon for senior USFK officers

President Park Geun-hye on Friday will host a luncheon for senior U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) officers to highlight the importance of the bilateral alliance in coping with North Korea's evolving military threats, her office Cheong Wa Dae said.The meeting, which will be held under the theme, "Partners for Safeguarding Peace," will bring together some 30 attendees, including Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, who leads the USFK, the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command and the U.N. Command.Top South Korean defense officials will also be present, including Defense Minister Han Min-koo, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Lee Sun-jin and the chiefs of the Army, the Navy and Air Force, the presidential office said."President Park plans to stress the solid South Korea-U.S. alliance and the importance of the allies' combined readiness posture at a time when strong anti-Pyongyang sanctions and pressure are needed in response to the North's continued provocations, including its fifth nuclear test," presidential spokesman Jung Youn-kuk told reporters.Pyongyang has recently been ratcheting up military te

Sep 30, 2016

Navy aims to deploy speedier transport vessel in 2020

South Korea's Navy will build a speedier transport vessel in the next three years to counter growing threats from North Korea along the tense maritime border, a military official familiar with the matter said Thursday."The plan is part of the government's efforts to beef up preparedness and combat capabilities against relentless provocations from the North along the tense sea border with North Korea," the official told Yonhap News Agency.Starting from 2020, the Navy aims to deploy the new high-speed combat vessel to help transport reinforcement troops from Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul, to the country's northwestern border islands near the North. The new vessels can make the trip in two to three hours, which is half the time it currently takes.The new high-speed combat vessel will be shorter than the U.S. Marine Corps' high-speed vessel (HSV) but similar in speed. The U.S. HSV is 98 meters long and can reach speeds of up to 56-83 km per hour, according to the defense ministry. The military has carried out regular drills near border islands like northernmost Baengnyeong Is

Sep 29, 2016

영상 대한민국 포병 전술 무기 TOP 7

 대한민국 포병 전술 무기 상위 7위를 소개하는 영상이 화제가 되고 있다. 지난 22일 동영상공유사이트 유튜브에 게재된 이 영상은 현무미사일-3을 우리나라 최강 포병 전술 무기로 꼽았다. 영상제작자 “랭킹박스(Ranking Box)”는 현무-3는 대한민국이 자체 개발한 토마호크형순항 미사일로 발사 중량은 1.5톤, 속력은 마하 1.2라고 밝혔다. 랭킹박스는 이어서 K-136(구룡)다연장로켓, MLRS 다연장로켓 천무, K-10 탄약운반 장갑차, K-9 155mm 자주포, 155mm 견인포, 105mm 견인포를 상위 2~7위로 선정했다.디지털뉴스부@

Sep 28, 2016

Uganda defense chief to visit S. Korea for bolster military ties

Uganda's defense chief will visit South Korea this week to discuss ways to bolster military ties between the two countries, military officials said Wednesday.Edward Katumba Wamala, chief of Uganda's defense forces, will meet with Defense Minister Han Min-koo and Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Lee Sun-jin during his stay in Seoul from Thursday to Sunday, the JCS said in a statement."The Ugandan defense leader is scheduled to share views on military exchanges and cooperation between the two nations," a JCS spokesman said.In May when President Park Geun-hye visited the long-time ally of North Korea, Uganda said it will stop all additional military cooperation with the North. The African country signed an initial agreement with South Korea for a military partnership.Last month, Uganda sent three military officials to the Seoul Defense Dialogue, an annual defense forum hosted by South Korea's defense ministry, a move to show its intention to increase bilateral military ties, the official said.Such actions follow North Korea's fourth nuclear test in January and long-range roc

Sep 28, 2016

US B-1B bomber returns to Guam after staying in S. Korea

A B-1B strategic bomber returned to its base in Guam on Sunday after a short stay in South Korea that aimed to warn North Korea against any further provocations, military officials said Monday."The B-1B Lancer returned to Andersen Air Base last night after remaining at Osan Air Base since Wednesday in a show of force against the North's latest nuclear test," a defense ministry official told Yonhap News Agency.Pyongyang conducted its fifth and most powerful nuclear test on Sept. 9 despite international condemnations and sanctions imposed after the previous nuke detonation in January. The latest test came on the heels of the launch of ballistic missiles four days earlier.The U.S. sent two B-1B bombers over the skies of South Korea on Sept. 13 and again on Sept. 21. On its latest flight, one landed at the U.S. air base in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, after making its closest-ever flight to North Korea.It was the first time a Lancer landed on the Korean peninsula in 20 years since 1996, according to the U.S. Pacific Command's (USPACOM) website."What we are showing today (Sep

Sep 26, 2016

Defense

Defense

USFK resumes Korean speech contest after 3 years

S. Korea buys more Taurus missiles amid N. Korea nuke threats

'S. Korea should prepare for nuclear armament,' says Gyeonggi governor

Is US preparing preemptive strike on North Korea?

S. Korea's military cyber command hacked

Park to host luncheon for senior USFK officers

Navy aims to deploy speedier transport vessel in 2020

영상 대한민국 포병 전술 무기 TOP 7

Uganda defense chief to visit S. Korea for bolster military ties

US B-1B bomber returns to Guam after staying in S. Korea

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