Most Popular
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Marine Corps commander summoned by CIO for questioning on alleged influence-peddling case
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Debate rages over ‘overly fatty’ samgyeopsal
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40 flights canceled on Jeju Island due to bad weather
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[Weekender] Korean psyche untangled: Musok
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N. Korea slams US, other countries for seeking alternative to UN sanctions monitoring panel
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Pandemic left Korea more depressed than before: report
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Gov't appears to shelve punitive measures against mass walkout by doctors
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[Eye Interview] 'If you live to 100, you might as well be happy,' says 88-year-old bestselling essayist
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From fake prostitution ring to nonexistent robber, prank calls hamper police
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Missing S. Korean traveler in Paris found safe after 2 weeks
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Korean, U.S. Army chiefs vow to strengthen alliance
The United States Army chief of staff met his Korean counterpart on Friday to discuss ways to maintain a strong deterrence against North Korea and work together to prepare events marking the 60th anniversary of the Korean War armistice, the Army here said.Gen. Raymond Odierno was on a two-day visit to Seoul to give support to American soldiers and meet his Korean counterpart Gen.Cho Jung-hwan as the two countries are preparing a variety of events to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the truce
Jan. 11, 2013
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Military to double soldiers' pay during Park's term
The defense ministry plans to double soldiers' salaries in the next five years to carry out incoming President Park Geun-hye's election pledge, officials said Thursday.The plan will be reported to Park's transition team on Friday, the first briefing by a government agency since Park was elected in December, along with other major defense and security issues.The move comes as Park promised to double soldiers' pay, which is set at 96,000 won ($90) on average, to appeal to soldiers and their parent
Jan. 10, 2013
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Park’s plan to shorten military service causes security concerns
President-elect Park Geun-hye’s election pledge to shorten compulsory military service by three months to 18 months has raised concern that it could result in a troop shortage and weaken the country’s combat capabilities.Some experts argue that the plan could cause a wartime operational challenge given that the U.S., in case of peninsular contingencies, is expected to focus on naval and aerial operations due to the vulnerability of ground forces and its political cost.Seoul’s Defense Ministry fo
Jan. 9, 2013
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Ministry imposes lightest punishment on singer Rain
K-pop star Rain, a military corporal, received the lowest punishment from the Defense Ministry on Tuesday for dating actress Kim Tae-hee while on official duty.A disciplinary panel at his battalion decided to put the 30-year-old singer, whose real name is Jung Ji-hoon, on a seven-day probation. He was recently found to have met with the top actress on several occasions last month.The Defense Ministry has vowed to enhance monitoring of entertainment-career soldiers amid criticism about special tr
Jan. 8, 2013
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Normalized tours impossible this year: USFK
The U.S. military in South Korea said Friday it will again be unable this year to normalize tours of its troops here where more troops will be accompanied by their family members.The U.S. military has been trying since 2008 to increase the number of troops on "normal" or family-accompanied tours to about half of its 28,500 soldiers stationed in South Korea by 2020, but it has been unable to begin the process largely due to lack of funds.The U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said in a statement that its c
Jan. 4, 2013
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Allies set up joint working group on new command
The South Korean and U.S. militaries have set up a joint working group to discuss their new combined command structure to be established following Seoul’s retaking of wartime operational control slated for December 2015.“As agreed in the Security Consultative Meeting last October, the allies have been in consultation over the future command structure,” said Defense Ministry spokesperson Kim Min-seok in a regular press briefing. “To develop the discussion, a joint working group was launched on De
Jan. 4, 2013
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USFK's dream of 'tour normalization' hamstrung by military budget cut
The Pentagon's shoestring budget is taking its toll on a dream of U.S. soldiers to bring their families to South Korea -- the so-called "tour normalization" program.Concerns are growing that South Korea may be forced to shoulder more of the financial burden for stationing 28,500 American troops on the peninsula, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War.This year, Seoul and Washington are set for tough negotiations on how to split the cost for U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) for 2014-2018.The Pentagon faces m
Jan. 4, 2013
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Korea to buy U.S. Seahawk choppers for naval use
South Korea has decided to buy eight advanced multi-purpose maritime helicopters from the United States for its Navy, military sources said. The MH-60R Seahawk helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. was chosen over the AW-195 Wildcat manufactured by the Anglo-Italian company AgustaWestland, they said.“After completing test evaluations in September, we’ve conducted a series of analysis and negotiations on details including technology, terms of contracts and prices,” said one Navy offi
Jan. 2, 2013
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Security officials concerned by defense cuts
Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin and other top security officials expressed regret Wednesday after the parliament scaled down the defense budget despite growing threats from North Korea and fast changing security environment around the Korean Peninsula.The National Assembly on Tuesday approved the 2013 national budget including 34.35 trillion won ($32.34 billion) in defense spending. The lawmakers cut around 290 billion won from the 34.64 trillion won proposed by the ministry while the welfare budg
Jan. 2, 2013
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Korea to buy U.S. Seahawk choppers for naval operation
South Korea has decided to buy eight advanced multi-purpose maritime helicopters from the United States for its Navy, military sources said Tuesday.The MH-60R Seahawk helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. was chosen over the AW-195 Wildcat manufactured by the Anglo-Italian company AgustaWestland, they said."After completing test evaluations in September, we've conducted a series of analysis and negotiations on details including technology, terms of contracts and rices," said one Nav
Jan. 1, 2013
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Tour bus crash in Oregon kills 9, including Koreans
PENDLETON, Ore. (AP) -- A tour bus careened through a guardrail along an icy Oregon highway and 100 feet down a steep embankment Sunday, killing nine people and injuring more than 20 others, authorities said.The charter bus carrying about 40 people lost control around 10:30 a.m. on snow- and ice-covered lanes of Interstate 84 in a rural area of eastern Oregon, according to the Oregon State Police. The bus crashed near the start of a 7-mile section of road that winds down a hill.The bus came to r
Dec. 31, 2012
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S. Korea snubs Japan's protest over Dokdo
South Korea has rejected a protest by Japan over Seoul's annual defense report that reaffirms its bid to protect the easternmost islets of Dokdo, a senior official said Monday.Japan recently sent the South Korean government an official letter protesting the defense white paper that made clear Seoul's sovereignty over Dokdo, which Tokyo has also claimed as its own.In a rebuttal letter to Japan, South Korea reiterated that, "Dokdo is an integral part of Korean territory historically, geographicall
Dec. 31, 2012
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Hyundai Capital hacking suspect caught in Philippines
A hacker suspected of stealing customer data last year from Hyundai Capital, a subsidiary of South Korea’s top automaker, has been arrested in the Philippines, police here said Wednesday.The 39-year-old man, identified only by his surname Shin, allegedly broke into the computer system of the financial firm 43,376 times between February and April of last year and stole personal information of nearly 1.75 million customers, police said.After being apprehended by Philippine authorities, Shin was ex
Dec. 26, 2012
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Korea considers competitive bidding for spy drone acquisition
With the United States moving toward the sales of Global Hawk advanced spy drones at a higher than expected price, South Korea may adopt competitive bidding to negotiate a better offer for the high-altitude drones along with other potential deals on the table, a senior government official said Wednesday.Seoul has shown interest in the high-altitude, long-endurance Global Hawk drones to conduct intelligence missions on North Korea, as it is preparing to take over wartime operational control from
Dec. 26, 2012
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S. Korea considers competitive bidding for spy drone acquisition
With the United States moving toward the sales of Global Hawk advanced spy drones at a higher than expected price, South Korea may adopt competitive bidding to negotiate a better offer for the high-altitude drones along with other potential deals on the table, a senior government official said Wednesday.Seoul has shown interest in the high-altitude, long-endurance Global Hawk drones to conduct intelligence missions on North Korea, as it is preparing to take over wartime operational control from
Dec. 26, 2012
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U.S. plans to sell Global Hawks to S. Korea for $1.2 bln
The Pentagon has formally informed Congress of a plan to sell four Global Hawk surveillance drones to South Korea, a related agency said Monday.The deal under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, if sealed, would be worth up to $1.2 billion (1.28 trillion won), according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) affiliated with the Department of Defense.It includes four RQ-4 Block 30 Global Hawk remotely-piloted aircrafts equipped with the Enhanced Integrated Sensor Suites (EISS), a
Dec. 25, 2012
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Allies tracking N.K. HEU facilities: Seoul
South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense said on Friday that the country and its U.S. ally have been sharing intelligence and tracking down potential North Korean facilities used to develop highly enriched uranium for nuclear weapons.“South Korea and the U.S. have been identifying HEU facilities in North Korea by analyzing intelligence images,” said a South Korean army intelligence official. He added, “We are currently tracking down those facilities and activities relating to HEU,” as the alli
Dec. 21, 2012
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Ministry allows giant Xmas lighting near N.K. border
The Defense Ministry said Thursday that it will allow a local church to light up a Christmas tower near the tense border with North Korea, reversing its reluctant attitude over the sensitive tradition ahead of major political events.Military officials earlier this month said Christmas towers near the military demarcation line would not be lit up this year, apparently reflecting concerns that the move could have escalated tension ahead of Pyongyang’s Dec. 12 rocket launch and the presidential ele
Dec. 20, 2012
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Defense Ministry opposes reduced military service
The Ministry of National Defense said Thursday that problems would occur should the new government of president-elect Park Geun-hye seek to reduce the country’s mandatory military service period.“Problems would arise following the reduction of the service period from 21 months to 18 months as it could further make the military fall short of resources,” spokesperson Kim Min-seok told the press.He added that the ministry would need to discuss this matter with Park’s transition team, and hopes to r
Dec. 20, 2012
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Korea to use German power packs for K2 tanks
South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration said Monday that it has decided to use Germany-made key engine and transmission parts, or the so-called power packs, over Korean parts for the military’s first 100 K2 tanks.DAPA will import the first two sets of power packs from Germany-based MTU to install in the tanks for trials next year, and bring in more in phases with the aim of deploying the tanks by March of 2014.This decision was made in a meeting presided over by the National Def
Dec. 17, 2012