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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.

Defense ministry designates two ’Casual Fridays’ each month

The defense ministry, with uniformed military officers and high-ranked civil servants in dark suits crowding hallways, may not seem the most liberal of workplaces. The ministry is trying to change that perception in 2012. The ministry said Wednesday it has designated every first and third Friday of the month as "Casual Friday," starting this year. The first dress-down day occurred last Friday, it said. Officials said employees came to work in t-shirts, jeans, sneakers and runners. The move is designed to "foster creativity and allow for flexibility" in the working environment, the ministry said in a statement. "Since late 2010, we have tried to improve our working culture and we have been successful," the ministry said. "Our staffers have responded positively to the changes." The government encourages public servants to dress down with short-sleeved shirts without ties during summer months to reduce the use of air conditioners and conserve energy. They may also wear "business casual" clothing year-round. (Yonhap)

Jan 25, 2012

Korea, US in dilemma over military drills: sources

WASHINGTON (Yonhap) -- Korea and the United States are struggling to decide the timing and size of their annual joint military exercises as they try to manage the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, sources said Thursday. The allies are increasingly mindful of the possibility of North Korean provocations after the death of the nation's autocrat, Kim Jong-il, in December. Pyongyang declared his youngest son, Jong-un, reportedly in his late 20s, as its new leader. But it remains uncertain whether he has acquired control in a country where the military is extremely strong. "(South Korea) is in consultations with the U.S. side over the Key Resolve exercise that is usually held from the end of February until early March," a government source said. The source, requesting anonymity, said there are "many factors" to consider this year, such as Kim's death and the ensuing change in the country. Last year, the allies staged Key Resolve from Feb. 28 to March 10, followed by Foal Eagle through April 30. About 12,800 U.S. troops and more than 200,000 South Korean troops t

Jan 20, 2012

Air Force jet in exercise hits control antenna

An Air Force fighter jet hit a control antenna while attempting to land during an exercise last year, officials said Friday. They said a KF-16D fighter, based at an Air Force base in Seosan, about 280 kilometers south of Seoul, clipped the top of the antenna of a ground-based control tower during a nighttime drill on Aug. 29 last year. Officials said the incident involving the control tower, used for civilian aircraft, led to no casualties, injuries or inconveniences to passengers in the area. According to the Air Force, two pilots, a major and a first lieutenant, lowered the jet while following the warning lights at the far end of the runway, when they should have tried to land on the guiding lights at the starting point of the runway. The Air Force suspended the major in November from flying for three months, and slapped the first lieutenant and a lieutenant colonel, the pilots' commanding officer, with warnings. An official said the Air Force will try to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents. (Yonhap)

Jan 20, 2012

Korea eyes tenfold growth in defense exports

By Lee Tae-hoon As the global economy continues to struggle, countries around the world are increasingly seeking to tighten military spending. Top officials at the state-run Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), however, see it rather as an opportunity for South Korea to increase its global market share in the defense industry. In fact, the country last year exported a record amount of defense goods worth $2.4 billion as high-tech military products such as T-50 training jets successfully entered the foreign market, exceeding its $1.6 billion goal. They point out that South Korean defense companies armed with advanced technology, quality and attractive pricing will continue to expand their territories overseas at a time when everyone wants to get “better value for their money.” “DAPA set a goal of nearly doubling exports to $3 billion this year, compared to its 2011 export target of $1.6 billion,” said DAPA commissioner Noh Dae-lae in an interview with The Korea Times Friday. “I believe DAPA can exceed its goal once again as export deals worth $5 bil

Jan 16, 2012

Navy appoints first female officers to lead high-speed boats

Korea's Navy has appointed its first two female officers to command fast attack craft, as it looks to expand female presence on vessels in operation, officials said Monday. "We've finalized a plan to name female captains to command our Chamsuri boat patrolling the South Sea," a high-ranking military source said, referring to a 150-ton patrol vessel. "Last Thursday, we named two female officers on a trial basis." According to the source, Adm. Choi Yun-hee, the Navy's chief of staff, briefed Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin on this plan last week. The two officers are Cpt. Hong Yu-jin, 34, and Cpt. Ahn Hyo-ju, 31. They will command Chamsuri-type vessels from the Navy's Jinhae Base, about 410 kilometers south of Seoul, in patrolling waters off Jinhae Port. Hong, whose husband, Jeong Min-jae, is a Navy lieutenant commander, joined the Navy in 2002. Ahn, married to a Navy captain, in 2003 became the first female officer to graduate from the Korea Naval Academy. "Being the first brings a lot of pressure," Ahn said. "But I will try to blaze a trail for many young female officers

Jan 16, 2012

US air force to deploy 12 F-16CM fighters to Korea

The U.S. air force will deploy 12 F-16CM fighter jets to South Korea next week to help defend its Asian ally, officials said Thursday. About 240 airmen from the 55th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and their fighters will be stationed from Sunday at a U.S. air base in Gunsan, 274 kilometers south of Seoul, for about three months to maintain stability in the region, according to the U.S. 7th Air Force. Last November, 12 F-16CS from the Hill Air Force Base in Utah along with 200 airmen were deployed to Gunsan as the 421st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron. "These deployments reaffirm our commitment to providing the right combat air power and capabilities in defense of the Republic of Korea," said Lt. Gen. Jan-Marc Jouas, commander of the 7th Air Force, in a statement. Some 28,500 U.S. troops are based in the South, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War. (Yonhap)

Jan 13, 2012

Top military officer to visit Washington over provocation

Army Gen. Jung Seung-jo, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will visit the U.S. this month to sign a joint operational plan to counter potential North Korean provocations, officials said Tuesday. Under the allies' joint plan, the South will lead any counterattack against North Korean provocation with the U.S. providing reinforcements with its troops stationed in South Korea and Japan, and forces from U.S. Pacific Command. Seoul and Washington agreed to the plan in principle at their annual defense ministerial talks, the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM), in October of last year. They have been working on such a plan since North Korea bombed the South's Yeonpyeong Island in November 2010, killing two Marines and two civilians. Jung will also meet Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, the U.S. chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to discuss security on the Korean Peninsula following former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's death, according to officials. The generals will also assess the threat of North Korean provocations and talk about their joint countermeasures. "This trip w

Jan 10, 2012

Defense ministry to alter rules on conscription physicals

Being taller than 196 centimeters in Korea will no longer exempt men from the mandatory military service. The defense ministry on Tuesday announced a number of changes to how its conscription physical tests are conducted. As part of the modification, the service exemption will apply to those taller than 204 centimeters. All healthy Korean men between 18 and 38 are conscripted for around two years, depending on the branch of the service. Excessively tall or small, heavy or light men are granted exemptions. The ministry explained that Koreans on average have grown bigger thanks to better nutrition. It said up to 80 men per year who wouldn't have had to serve will be conscripted under the change. The ministry will also subject men who undergo gastrectomies, a weight-loss procedure, for the active service. Previously, such men were either exempted or were assigned to alternative, non-combat duties. Men suffering from sexual dysfunction disorders, such as aspermia or erectile dysfunctions, will be conscripted for the service, the ministry said. It said such diseases ar

Jan 3, 2012

US Forces Korea extends curfew on troops

The existing off-base curfew on U.S. troops stationed in Korea will be modified and extended indefinitely, the commanding unit of the American forces here announced Tuesday. The U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) announced its commander, Army Gen. James D. Thurman, decided to extend the current curfew "until further notice." It was set to expire this Friday. "The purpose of the curfew is to ensure continued mission readiness and to assess the current operational environment," the USFK said in a statement. "The new off-installation curfew begins Jan. 7 at 1 a.m. The hours of the curfew are from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. seven days a week, a modification of the previous policy." The current curfew is in effect from midnight to 5 a.m. on weekdays and 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. on weekends. On Oct. 7 last year, Thurman imposed the curfew for 30 days, and extended it again in November. It had been withdrawn in July 2010 after being in place for nine years. In September and October, two U.S. soldiers came under investigation for separate sexual assault charges and one was sentenced to 10 years in prison

Jan 3, 2012

Pilot lost control of crashed jet: Air Force

Air Force officials said Thursday that a mistake by one of the pilots had caused the fatal trainer jet crash earlier this month, finding the aircraft had no functional defects. The T-59 trainer jet fell to the ground on Dec. 5 soon after taking off for an emergency landing exercise, killing two Air Force pilots aboard. According to officials, the exercise is designed to prepare pilots for emergencies when their jets' engines are turned off in midair. This crash, which happened near the Air Force's 16th Fighter Wing in Yecheon, about 250 kilometers southeast of Seoul, was the first to happen during this exercise, officials said. "When the jet was attempting to land, one of the pilots applied too much pressure on the control stick and the aircraft rapidly lost speed, entering a stall," an Air Force investigator said. "The pilot tried to regain control but didn't have sufficient angle and the jet was traveling at a low altitude by that point." According to the Air Force, there were no functional defects with the T-59. It said the jet's black box was damaged beyond repai

Dec 29, 2011
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