South Korea - The Korea Times

S. Korea, U.S. defense universities to strengthen academic exchanges

South Korea's state-run defense university said Tuesday it plans to ink a preliminary deal with its U.S. counterpart this week to strengthen academic exchanges amid North Korea's evolving threats.The Korea National Defense University (KNDU) and the National Defense University of the U.S. will sign the memorandum of understanding Wednesday, which calls for expanding exchanges of personnel and education programs, the KNDU said."Defense cooperation between Seoul and Washington has become more important as North Korea's latest nuclear test and long-range missile launch has spiked military tension on the Korean Peninsula," Wee Seung-ho, president of the KNDU, said in a statement."We expect the agreement to spur academic exchanges between the allies' militaries down the road."Established in 1924, the National Defense University is Washington's national security institution. (Yonhap)

Feb 23, 2016

Senior U.S. diplomat to visit S. Korea for possible THAAD talks

A senior U.S. diplomat handling missile defense will visit Seoul next week for meetings with defense, foreign affairs and American military officials, the State Department said, suggesting the trip is related to the proposed deployment of the THAAD missile defense system to the South.Frank Rose, assistant secretary of state for arms control, verification and compliance, will be in Seoul from March 4-6 "for meetings with the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, U.S. Forces Korea, and at the Blue House," the department said in a release.The Blue House refers to the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.The State Department did not say what the topics of those meetings will be. But all of the agencies his interlocutors belong to are involved in the THAAD issue. That suggests the trip has something to do with the matter. On March 6, Rose will also lead the U.S. delegation in the U.S.-South Korea Space Policy Dialogue, it said.Shortly after North Korea's Feb. 7 long-range missile launch, South Korea and the U.S. jointly announced they would begin official discussions on the p

Feb 22, 2016

THAAD talks will begin this week

By Yi Whan-wooSouth Korea and the United States will begin working-level talks this week regarding possible deployment of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system on the Korean Peninsula, according to military officials, Sunday.The Joint Working Group (JWG) of the two allies will sort out details regarding the deployment of a THAAD battery in Korea including details such as: schedule and place, operational costs and concerns about possible environmental risks.It is speculated that Chang Kyung-soo, the Ministry of Defense’s director general for policy planning will lead the Seoul delegation while the U.S side will be headed by Maj. Gen. Robert Hedelund, the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) assistant chief of staff for policy and planning.“It’s likely that the two sides will focus on setting up only one THAAD battery,” a Ministry of Defense official said on condition of anonymity. “And the goal will be making sure that deployment will be made as early as possible.”The possible JWG talks will come after the defense ministry confirme

Feb 21, 2016

South Korea, U.S. conduct joint drill to brace for wartime situation

South Korea and the United States on Friday conducted a joint drill aimed at promptly dispatching American troops to the Korean Peninsula on the occasion of contingency, the South's Army said.Heightened tensions on the divided peninsula remain following North Korea's latest nuclear test and long-range rocket launch.The drill between South Korea's 2nd Operations Command and the 8th U.S. Army called for the South's Army to provide support for Washington's expedited dispatch of its soldiers to the peninsula at the case of war, it said.In 1994, the exercise, known as the "RSOI" drill, kicked off as a simulation-driven drill aimed at upgrading the allied forces' capabilities. Since 2014, it has been conducted as a field exercise.RSOI is an acronym for "Reception, Staging, Onward Movement and Integration.""The exercise would help check how the U.S. could promptly send its troops to the front lines on the occasion of war on the peninsula," said an official in the South Korean Army.About 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea as a deterrent against North Korea, a legacy of the 1950-

Feb 19, 2016

U.S. confirms holding first THAAD talks with S. Korea

The United States and South Korea have launched official talks on the potential deployment of the U.S. THAAD missile defense system to the South, the Pentagon announced Wednesday."I can confirm that the joint working group (JWG) has met and that consultations are ongoing. The JWG is working 'expeditiously, but meticulously,' so no timeline has been established for when consultations will be complete," said Cmdr. Bill Urban, a Pentagon spokesman.The working group will review all aspects regarding the potential of deployment of a THAAD system to the South, he said. (Yonhap)

Feb 18, 2016

USFK quits TOW missile use at its training site near border

American troops stationed in South Korea decided not to use so-called TOW anti-tank missiles at its shooting range close to the inter-Korean border after one of the missiles fired during training accidentally landed on a civilian area in December, the U.S. Eighth Army said Wednesday.One Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wired-guided (TOW) missile, measuring some 50 centimeters in length, went astray during an artillery drill at the Rodriguez Live Fire Complex in Pocheon, northeast of Seoul, on Dec. 30.The missile hit the roof of a nearby religious retreat, although no one was hurt because the facility was closed."The missile malfunctioned due to a faulty guide wire, resulting in an inability to communicate with the fire control system," the Eighth Army said, releasing the result of an investigation into the case. "Eighth Army commander Lt. Gen. Thomas Vandal has directed that units will no longer fire TOW missiles at the Rodriguez complex out of a concern for potential mishaps and the safety of the population in the surrounding areas," the Eighth Army said in a statement. Nonetheless

Feb 17, 2016

U.S. deploys F-22s in S. Korea against N. Korea

A formation of four U.S. F-22 stealth fighters swept through the skies of South Korea on Wednesday as the militaries of South Korea and the U.S. flexed their muscles against North Korea following its nuclear and missile tests.The four F-22 Raptors flew at a low altitude over U.S. Forces Korea's Osan Air Base in Gyeonggi Province, 55 kilometers south of Seoul, in the latest of the allies' continuing show of force after North Korea's recent provocations.In defiance of United Nations Security Council resolutions, the communist country conducted its fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6, followed by a long-range rocket launch on Feb. 7, which the outside world denounced as a test of ballistic missile technology.Four days after the nuke test in January, the U.S. B-52 bomber flew over South Korea as the allies took to deterring North Korea from further escalating military tensions.The nuclear-propelled USS North Carolina attack submarine joined a combined training with South Korea earlier this week, conducted in the East Sea, while the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis is also s

Feb 17, 2016

Pentagon: THAAD deployment 'appropriate step' at this point

The United States believes that the deployment of the U.S. THAAD missile defense system to South Korea would be an "appropriate step to take at this point" as it will enhance security in the region, the Defense Department spokesman said Tuesday."The discussions about deploying a THAAD system will begin at some point this week. I don't have the exact day for you," Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said at a briefing. "This is an effort to try and put in place a defensive system that will bolster security in the region. And we think it would be an appropriate step to take at this point."Shortly after North Korea's Feb. 7 missile launch, South Korea and the U.S. jointly announced they would begin official discussions on the possible placement of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system in South Korea. That ended more than a year of soul-searching by Seoul over how to deal with the issue amid Washington's desire to deploy the system and China's intense opposition to it. The North's twin provocations of its fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6 and then a miss

Feb 17, 2016

Safety concerns overshadow THAAD talks

By Yi Whan-wooA controversy is brewing over possible health and safety risks associated with the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), advanced missile system, as Seoul and Washington are set to start talks on its deployment.The Ministry of National Defense fell short of explaining how far people should stay away from the AN/TPY-2 radar, a key component of the system, to avoid exposure to electromagnetic radiation. Experts differ widely with some saying the safe distance is 100 meters, while others claim 3.6 kilometers.Lawmakers, local government officials and environmental activists from the candidate sites oppose the deployment of a THAAD battery here although they agree with the central government that South Korea needs the system.Possible sites include Daegu, Pyeongtaek in Gyeonggi Province, Wonju in Gangwon Province and Gunsan in North Jeolla Province. Among them, a U.S. Army base is stationed in Dageu, while Pyeongtaek will host the new headquarters of the U.S. Forces Korea.“We’ve been receiving a lot of complaints from residents and threatening calls that th

Feb 16, 2016

Photo Ultimate US weapons head for Korea

USS John C. Stennis / Screen captured from TwitterUSS North Carolina / Screen captured from Twitter USS New Orleans / Screen captured from TwitterThe U.S. is sending strategic weaponry and high-tech military vessels for South Korea-U.S. joint training exercises because of recent threats from North Korea.The USS John C. Stennis and USS New Orleans are heading to Korea for the training. The USS North Carolina has just finished exercises with South Korean submarines.The USS John C. Stennis is a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier that has unlimited operational capabilities and houses up to 6,000 personnel. The price of one aircraft carrier is estimated at $4.5 billion.Commissioned in 1995, the vessel can carry up to 90 fighters and helicopters, including the F/A-18F Super Hornet, the E-2C Hawkeye and the SH-60 Seahawk. The ship has been involved in combat related to the Middle East.The vessel is the flagship of the “Carrier Strike Group Three,” which usually consists of an aircraft carrier, one or more cruisers, a destroyer squadron and occasion

Feb 16, 2016

Defense

Defense

S. Korea, U.S. defense universities to strengthen academic exchanges

Senior U.S. diplomat to visit S. Korea for possible THAAD talks

THAAD talks will begin this week

South Korea, U.S. conduct joint drill to brace for wartime situation

U.S. confirms holding first THAAD talks with S. Korea

USFK quits TOW missile use at its training site near border

U.S. deploys F-22s in S. Korea against N. Korea

Pentagon: THAAD deployment 'appropriate step' at this point

Safety concerns overshadow THAAD talks

Photo Ultimate US weapons head for Korea

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