AJU PRESS ASIA FIRST NEWS AGENCY

Journalist

Kim Hee-su
Kim Hee-su김희수
ReporterMinistry of Foreign Affairs, Seoul City Hall & Defense, Foreign Affairs
Kim Hee-su is a bilingual reporter at AJU Press, covering defense and foreign affairs. Before joining AJP in 2025, she worked at The Korea Times, where she wrote interview stories, including a profile of North Korean defector Kim Gum-hyok, and produced digital content. She also previously worked as a researcher for KBS News 9’s International News Department, supporting correspondents in 10 countries around the world. She graduated from the University of Toronto in Canada with a double major in Book and Media Studies and East Asian Studies. "I'm driven by storytelling."
Latest by Kim Hee-su
  • S. Korea denies Korea-owned tanker hit in Hormuz
    S. Korea denies Korea-owned tanker hit in Hormuz SEOUL, September 02 (AJP) - A tanker struck by rockets in the Strait of Hormuz was not owned by South Korea's Sinokor Merchant Marine and had no Korean crew aboard, a South Korean shipping industry group said Wednesday, disputing an earlier Financial Times report that described the vessel as South Korean-owned. The Korea Shipowners' Association said in a statement that the Senegal Prosperity, which was recently attacked while transiting the strategic waterway, was wholly owned by a foreign shipowner and that Sinokor had no beneficial ownership of the vessel. “According to information confirmed through a Sinokor official, the Senegal Prosperity, which was attacked yesterday, is 100 percent owned by an overseas shipowner, and Sinokor Maritime does not hold beneficial ownership of the vessel,” the association said. It added that there were no South Korean nationals among the crew. “The vessel had no Korean crew members aboard, and the entire crew consisted of foreign nationals,” the association said, adding that the tanker had been sub-chartered to an overseas oil company. The clarification follows an FT report that two oil tankers were hit in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday night, identifying them as the Senegal Prosperity, which it described as owned by South Korea's Sinokor, and the Saudi-owned Sidr. The FT cited maritime security analysts and cautioned at the time that poor communications in the Gulf had made it difficult to formally verify the ships' identities. A government source earlier gave AJP a similar account of the ownership arrangement. “Sinokor chartered the vessel from another shipping company and then sub-chartered it to another operator,” the source said. “So, based on what we have found so far, it is not a South Korean vessel.” The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has separately said the Senegal Prosperity is Liberian-flagged, is not registered as a South Korean vessel and carried no Korean crew members. The attack came amid renewed U.S.-Iran fighting after U.S. forces on Sept. 1 struck Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps targets, including air defense sites, radar systems, maritime assets and mine-laying capabilities. Washington said the strikes followed recent IRGC attempts to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and U.S. forces, while Tehran has also carried out attacks on American military targets in the region. The party responsible for striking the Senegal Prosperity has not been identified. AJP Takeaways · Senegal Prosperity is foreign-owned, not Sinokor-owned, a Korean shipping group said. · No South Korean crew were aboard the Liberian-flagged tanker. · The attacker remains unidentified amid renewed U.S.-Iran clashes. 2026-09-02 10:05:33
  • K-defense gains traction amid localization push
    K-defense gains traction amid localization push SEOUL, September 01 (AJP) - If the AI boom has delivered a windfall for South Korean chipmakers, rising geopolitical risks along Russia’s borders and across the Middle East have pushed Korean weapons makers into the spotlight. Growing pressure for greater self-reliance, fueled by America-first policies and strains among traditional allies, is driving governments across Europe, Asia and the Middle East to sharply increase defense spending and modernize their arsenals. The rush has benefited South Korean defense companies Hanwha Aerospace, LIG Nex1, Hyundai Rotem and Korea Aerospace Industries, or KAI, all of which appeared in Defense News’ latest ranking of the world’s 100 largest defense companies. The four generated a combined $17.79 billion in defense revenue in 2025, up 38.4 percent from $12.85 billion a year earlier, according to an AJP calculation based on the 2026 Defense News Top 100. Hanwha made the biggest leap, rising to 16th from 22nd as defense revenue surged 53 percent to $10.44 billion from $6.82 billion. LIG Nex1 moved to 52nd from 53rd, with revenue rising to $3.03 billion from $2.36 billion, while Hyundai Rotem climbed to 61st from 67th as defense revenue increased to $2.46 billion from $1.74 billion. KAI was the exception, falling to 74th from 62nd as defense revenue declined to $1.86 billion from $1.94 billion. Localization becomes price of entry The European Union’s defense industrial strategy calls for member states to gradually raise procurement from the European defense industrial base to at least 50 percent by 2030 and 60 percent by 2035. Under the EU’s €150 billion ($175 billion) Security Action for Europe, or SAFE, financing instrument, components originating outside the EU, European Economic Area and Ukraine generally cannot exceed 35 percent of an eligible product’s component costs. Similar pressure is building in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia aims to localize more than 50 percent of military equipment and services spending by 2030, putting domestic production, maintenance and technology transfer at the center of its defense strategy. The requirements are changing the equation for Korean exporters, which initially gained market share through relatively fast delivery, proven platforms and competitive pricing. “The markets that can be accessed through direct exports of finished products alone are inevitably limited,” Korea Investment & Securities said in a report, adding that localization can expand both the range of accessible markets and the likelihood of winning contracts while generating follow-on revenue from technology transfer and maintenance. What began as an additional condition attached to major export contracts is increasingly becoming part of the competitive proposition itself. Hanwha: Spain and U.S. open harder markets Hanwha Aerospace is pushing into two markets that have traditionally been difficult for Korean defense companies. It is partnering with Spain’s Indra on a K9-based artillery program covering 128 self-propelled howitzers and 120 ammunition resupply vehicles, with hull design and production to be localized in Spain. Defense News put the broader Spanish tracked-artillery budget at €4.55 billion. In the U.S., the Army selected Hanwha Defense USA in August to provide six Mobile Tactical Cannon prototypes, with options for 12 more, under a contract worth up to $262.9 million. “The U.S. howitzer prototype program and the Spanish artillery deal are significant as footholds for follow-on orders, additional items and entry into new markets,” Yang Seung-yoon, an analyst at Eugene Investment & Securities, said in a report Monday. Korea Investment & Securities also said Hanwha’s experience in building production facilities, localizing supply chains and transferring technology could become a differentiator as localization requirements tighten. LIG: European air defense becomes next frontier LIG Nex1 is moving beyond the Middle East, where Cheongung-II sales created its largest export base, toward establishing a manufacturing foothold in Europe. LIG and Germany’s Rheinmetall agreed in June to pursue a European joint venture, with Rheinmetall holding a majority stake, to localize and market LIG’s medium- and long-range air-defense systems and jointly develop new short-range missiles. LIG has also opened a representative office in Munich. The company is simultaneously expanding in Southeast Asia, including the first export of its Haegung naval missile to Malaysia and prospective missile deals in Indonesia. “Export markets and products are continuing to diversify across Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and South America, particularly in air-defense and ground systems,” Yang said. Hyundai Rotem: Poland shifts from buyer to production base Hyundai Rotem’s Polish K2 program is moving from rapid deliveries of Korean-built tanks toward local production and long-term sustainment. Poland received the first 28 K2GF tanks under its second $6.5 billion contract in August. Of the 64 K2PL tanks included in the deal, the first three will be built in South Korea for testing, while the remaining 61 will undergo final assembly at Poland’s Bumar-Łabędy plant. Maintenance capabilities and the parts ecosystem are also being transferred to Poland. “The revenue structure is becoming longer-term, moving from finished-product exports to local production, maintenance and ammunition,” Yang said. The next potential market is Peru, where the K2 remains in contention for a major tank procurement program. KAI: KF-21 enters service, exports become next test KAI is entering a different transition as the KF-21 moves from development into operational service. The first production fighter is scheduled for delivery to the Korean Air Force on Sept. 17, with eight expected by year-end. Eugene Investment & Securities said the program is now expanding “from aircraft production to an air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons package” as South Korea develops indigenous weapons for the fighter. The bigger test is exports. Indonesia, once the KF-21’s development partner and expected production partner, dropped plans for domestic co-production this year, although purchases of completed aircraft remain possible. That leaves KAI with the task of turning the KF-21’s entry into service into its first firm overseas order while continuing to expand the FA-50 business in markets including Malaysia and the Philippines. The Defense News ranking reflects contracts and deliveries recognized in 2025. Many of the localization moves now underway - Hanwha’s Spanish and U.S. programs, Hyundai Rotem’s Polish production arrangement, LIG’s overseas manufacturing push and KAI’s support networks abroad - will only begin to show their financial impact over the coming years. South Korea’s first defense export boom was largely about proving that its weapons could compete overseas and be delivered quickly. The next phase is about becoming part of customers’ own defense industrial bases, extending the business from finished-product exports into local production, maintenance, ammunition and technology transfer. 2026-09-01 17:41:17
  • Seoul spy agency says Trump-Kim summit possible at any time
    Seoul spy agency says Trump-Kim summit possible at any time SEOUL, September 01 (AJP) - South Korea’s intelligence agency said Tuesday that a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un could take place at any time, pointing to signs that the two sides may be moving toward renewed dialogue. The National Intelligence Service (NIS) made the assessment during a closed-door meeting of the National Assembly Intelligence Committee, according to lawmakers Yoon Kun-young of the ruling Democratic Party and Yoo Young-ha of the People Power Party. “We should view a U.S.-North Korea summit as possible at any time,” Yoon quoted the NIS as saying. The agency said it had not confirmed any concrete contact between Washington and Pyongyang but had seen “signs of dialogue.” The assessment comes as Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in meeting Kim again and emphasized his personal relationship with the North Korean leader. Asked about President Lee Jae Myung’s proposal in his Aug. 15 Liberation Day speech for talks among the parties concerned to formally end the 1950-53 Korean War, the NIS said it had no contacts with North Korea related to the proposal, according to Yoon. The intelligence agency also told lawmakers that it had obtained and was analyzing internal documents from North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party as well as missile design documents. Separately, the NIS said North Korea has expanded its Reconnaissance General Bureau, the country’s main military intelligence organization, to strengthen counterintelligence capabilities and better process operational intelligence from the war in Ukraine. The agency said Ri Chang-ho, head of the bureau, has been given an additional role related to handling intelligence gathered from North Korea’s overseas military operations. Ri, a colonel general equivalent to a three-star general in South Korea, was seen leading a contingent of overseas-deployed troops during a military parade marking the ninth congress of the Workers’ Party in February. AJP Takeaways · South Korea’s NIS says a Trump-Kim summit could happen at any time, citing signs of renewed U.S.-North Korea dialogue. · The spy agency says it has not confirmed direct contact between Washington and Pyongyang but sees indications that talks may be possible. · The NIS also says North Korea is strengthening counterintelligence and expanding its military intelligence structure amid lessons from the war in Ukraine. 2026-09-01 15:14:41
  • White House explores steps for possible Trump-Kim deal
    White House explores steps for possible Trump-Kim deal SEOUL, September 01 (AJP) - The White House has asked the U.S. agency responsible for recovering missing service members to outline steps it could take in preparation for possible talks with North Korea. Kelly McKeague, director of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), said Monday that his agency had been asked to outline what could realistically be done in the event of an agreement between Trump and Kim. McKeague made the remarks during a virtual discussion hosted by the National Committee on North Korea, a Washington-based nonprofit organization. He compared the request with preparations made before Trump’s first summit with Kim in Singapore in June 2018, saying the situation was “no different than the lead-up to the Singapore summit in 2018.” The DPAA, an agency under the U.S. Department of Defense, is responsible for locating, recovering and identifying American military personnel missing from past conflicts. McKeague said the agency has told both the White House and the Pentagon that it is ready to resume cooperation with North Korea on recovering the remains of U.S. troops killed or missing during the 1950-53 Korean War. According to McKeague, the agency proposed that North Korea return remains already in its possession and that the two countries resume joint field recovery missions for the first time since 2005. The DPAA has also proposed reviving a recovery model familiar to both sides, deploying two teams to areas around Unsan and Chosin, known in Korea as Jangjin, four times a year for 42-day periods. “We proposed this to the White House. We are ready,” McKeague said. The disclosure is notable as Trump has stepped up efforts in recent weeks to reopen a channel with Kim. Trump said on Aug. 19 that he expects to meet the North Korean leader later this year, while repeatedly emphasizing that maintaining a good personal relationship with Kim is beneficial. Reports have suggested that a meeting could potentially take place during an Asia trip later this year, although no summit has been formally announced. Trump has also moved to reduce the scale of major South Korea-U.S. military exercises that Pyongyang has long denounced as rehearsals for invasion. At Trump’s direction, South Korea and the United States shortened this year’s Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise and scaled back some field training, with Trump saying the drills could send a hostile signal to North Korea. Taken together, the White House inquiry to the DPAA and Trump’s recent overtures suggest the administration is at least exploring practical measures that could accompany a renewed diplomatic opening with North Korea. Recovering American war remains has historically been one of the few areas in which Washington and Pyongyang have managed to cooperate even during periods of strained relations. U.S. teams conducted 37 joint recovery operations in North Korea between 1996 and 2005 alongside personnel from the Korean People’s Army. Those operations ultimately led to the identification of 153 U.S. service members, according to the Pentagon. Field activities were suspended in 2005 amid U.S. security concerns. The issue again became part of high-level diplomacy during the 2018 Singapore summit. In their joint statement, Trump and Kim agreed to work toward recovering the remains of prisoners of war and service members missing in action, including the immediate repatriation of those already identified. North Korea subsequently handed over 55 boxes containing remains to the United States in July 2018, but plans for renewed joint excavation work failed to materialize as broader nuclear negotiations stalled. Trump and Kim met three times during the president’s first term, in Singapore in June 2018, in Hanoi in February 2019 and at the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom in June 2019. Their diplomacy ultimately failed to produce an agreement on North Korea’s nuclear program, and formal negotiations have remained stalled since then. The DPAA estimates that about 5,300 U.S. service members missing from the Korean War remain unaccounted for in North Korea, making renewed access to excavation sites a longstanding priority for the agency. McKeague said remains recovery should be viewed first as a humanitarian mission but can also provide a diplomatic channel between countries with otherwise deeply strained relations. Still, North Korea has continued to accuse Washington of pursuing a hostile policy and vowed to strengthen its nuclear arsenal, highlighting the challenges facing any renewed dialogue despite Trump’s overtures. AJP Takeaways · White House asks DPAA to prepare options for possible North Korea talks. · DPAA is ready to resume U.S.-North Korea war remains recovery work. · Trump’s outreach to Kim continues despite Pyongyang’s nuclear stance. 2026-09-01 11:52:39
  • India brings Odissi dance, film festival to Korea for Sarang 2026
    India brings Odissi dance, film festival to Korea for Sarang 2026 SEOUL, August 31 (AJP) - The Embassy of India in Seoul will bring traditional dance performances, workshops and Indian cinema to cities across South Korea this fall as part of Sarang 2026, its flagship annual cultural festival. Indian Ambassador to South Korea Gourangalal Das introduced this year’s program during a media briefing at the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre in Seoul on Monday, saying the festival is designed to expose Korean audiences to different traditions from across India each year. Now in its 12th edition, Sarang - The Festival of India in Korea has been held annually since 2015 and serves as one of the embassy’s main platforms for promoting Indian culture and strengthening people-to-people exchanges. This year’s centerpiece will be Odissi, one of India’s major classical dance traditions originating in the eastern state of Odisha. A visiting troupe led by renowned Odissi artist Madhulita Mohapatra will tour South Korea from Sept. 15 to 22, giving performances and conducting workshops for Korean audiences. The tour will open at Samsung Hall at Ewha Womans University in Seoul on Sept. 15 before traveling to Busan, Gimhae, Miryang, Gwangju and Nami Island. The group will then return to Seoul for the final event on Sept. 22. Das described Odissi as an ancient dance form deeply rooted in Odisha’s cultural and spiritual heritage, characterized by graceful movements, sculptural poses, rhythmic patterns and expressive gestures. “Sarang has been there for the last 11 years,” Das said during a question-and-answer session. “The fact that we bring cultural elements from different parts of India makes every Sarang festival unique in its own way.” He said this year’s Odissi troupe is well known in India and has previously performed in Korea, adding that Sarang would provide an opportunity for a broader Korean audience to experience the group’s performances. The festival’s cultural program will extend into November with the 14th edition of the Indian Film Festival. Six Indian films, Queen, Newton, Manjhi – The Mountain Man, Dum Laga Ke Haisha, Sui Dhaaga and Sardar Udham, will be screened with Korean subtitles under the theme “Against the Odds: Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Courage.” The screenings will take place from Nov. 3 to 29 in Seoul, Yangsan, Gwangju, Miryang, Incheon and Busan. Das said the films were selected around the common theme of ordinary people confronting difficult circumstances and overcoming challenges, adding that the stories could resonate particularly strongly with younger audiences in both India and Korea. The ambassador also said the embassy is seeking to take Indian cultural events beyond Korea’s largest cities. Explaining the inclusion of Miryang, Das said the goal of the festival is “not just to go to the usual suspects” but to broaden its network and bring Indian culture closer to people across the country. He pointed to Miryang’s connection with yoga as another reason for the city’s inclusion. Dance workshops held alongside the performances will be open to the public through registration systems operated by local partner organizations, embassy officials said. Das placed the festival within a broader effort to deepen cultural ties between India and South Korea, saying the two countries’ leaders have emphasized the long history of cultural exchanges and the need to showcase those links more prominently. The name “Sarang” itself reflects that connection: “sarang” means “love” in Korean, while in Hindi it can refer to a “medley of colours,” according to the embassy. 2026-08-31 17:53:12
  • Two Koreas reshuffle military command for very different battles
    Two Koreas reshuffle military command for very different battles SEOUL, August 31 (AJP) - South and North Korea are reshaping their military leadership at the same time, but for markedly different challenges. Seoul is turning back to a career general to steady an institution unsettled by contentious reforms, while Pyongyang is tightening party control for stronger push into weapons modernization. President Lee Jae Myung's nomination of retired four-star Gen. Kang Shin-chul as defense minister effectively puts a career military officer back in charge after just over a year under South Korea's first civilian defense chief in more than six decades. Kang is set to succeed Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back, a five-term lawmaker who became the country's first civilian to head the ministry in 64 years when he took office in July 2025. Ahn took office pledging a series of defense reforms. His final months, however, have been consumed by resistance to the government's plan to integrate the Army, Navy and Air Force academies and a political dispute over his military service more than four decades ago. Opposition figures have alleged that irregularities in Ahn's service record reflected an absence without leave and time in military detention. Ahn and the Defense Ministry have rejected allegations that he deserted his post, saying discrepancies in the record stemmed from administrative handling. The issue remains under investigation. The controversy came as Ahn was already struggling to build consensus around one of the Lee administration's most contentious military reforms. The government and ruling Democratic Party agreed in July to establish a four-year integrated military academy at Jaundae in Daejeon, bringing together the Army, Navy and Air Force academies. The plan is intended to improve joint operations and adapt officer education to a military facing a shrinking pool of recruits. Alumni groups from the three academies have pushed back, arguing that the overhaul is being pursued without sufficient consultation and risks weakening the identities and specialized traditions of the individual services. Against that backdrop, Kang's selection looks less like a reversal of Ahn's reform agenda than an attempt to put a senior military figure in charge of carrying it through an increasingly resistant institution. Kang, a Korea Military Academy graduate, built much of his career around joint operations, defense policy and the South Korea-U.S. alliance. He served in senior positions at the Joint Chiefs of Staff before becoming deputy commander of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command in 2023, the highest post available to a South Korean officer within the command. He retired in September 2025 and has served as ambassador to Saudi Arabia since January. His alliance experience comes at a sensitive time. Seoul and Washington are grappling with the transition of wartime operational control, questions over the future scale and direction of combined exercises and a broader debate over how the two allies should divide military responsibilities as Washington adjusts its regional posture. The United States has already scaled back parts of its military exercise schedule with South Korea even as Seoul, Washington and Tokyo prepare for another round of trilateral Freedom Edge drills focused on missile defense and other responses to North Korea's nuclear and missile capabilities. One military source, speaking on condition of anonymity, offered a cautious assessment of what Kang's return is likely to mean. “He is known to be smart and quick on his feet, but I would not say his operational expertise runs particularly deep,” the source said. “He is not the type to push through his own views based on conviction or military expertise. I expect him to largely carry out the defense policies set by the current administration.” Kang's immediate task, therefore, is unlikely to be designing another reform blueprint. It will be turning policies already chosen by the civilian leadership into measures the military can absorb without deepening resistance inside the ranks. North Korea's reshuffle points in a different direction. At a Workers' Party Central Military Commission meeting Saturday, Kim Jong Un replaced Defense Minister No Kwang-chol with Kim Song-gi, who had headed the Korean People's Army's powerful General Political Bureau. Pak Jong-chon, one of North Korea's most experienced military figures, was simultaneously restored as vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, roughly six months after losing senior party and military positions during February's Workers' Party congress. Pak also returned to the party Central Committee and Politburo, restoring him to the center of military decision-making. His return matters because military authority in North Korea does not rest primarily with the Defense Ministry. It runs through Kim Jong Un and the Workers' Party, particularly the Central Military Commission that Kim chairs. The body sits at the intersection of military command, personnel decisions and the party's control over the armed forces. Pak's career has been closely associated with artillery, missile forces and military modernization. Bringing him back just months after his removal underscores the fluidity of North Korea's senior ranks but also restores an experienced commander as Pyongyang presses ahead with new weapons programs. The other appointments reveal an equally important concern - control from within. Yu Kwang-u, who headed the KPA Security Bureau responsible for internal security and counterintelligence, was moved to first vice director of the General Political Bureau. Om Ju-ho, previously political commissar of the Air Force, replaced him as head of the Security Bureau. The reshuffle effectively rotates officials across two institutions central to surveillance, political indoctrination and discipline within the military. It comes as Pyongyang has increasingly emphasized both discipline inside the armed forces and advances in weapons technology. Kim met defense scientists and researchers involved in developing and improving new combat systems around the same time as the military commission gathering, according to state media. Former Defense Minister No, meanwhile, was moved rather than discarded, taking a senior post as first vice director of the party's Munitions Industry Department — an organization at the heart of North Korea's weapons-production apparatus. State media said the Central Military Commission expected the newly appointed commanders to be firmly armed with the party's vision of building a powerful military and to carry out its military policies with what it called “boundless devotion” and exceptional initiative. The personnel moves on opposite sides of the Demilitarized Zone therefore reveal two very different military problems. Seoul has spent the past year testing how far a civilian defense minister could push institutional reform through a deeply hierarchical military establishment. With some of those reforms now encountering resistance, Lee has chosen a retired general familiar with both the armed forces and alliance machinery to carry them forward. Pyongyang faces no comparable problem of winning institutional consent. Its concern is keeping the military politically reliable and operationally effective while weapons programs expand rapidly. In Seoul, the general is being brought back to manage reform. In Pyongyang, experienced commanders and political officers are being rearranged to make sure the military follows the party while the arsenal grows. AJP Takeaways • South Korea and North Korea are simultaneously reshuffling their military leadership, but Seoul is focused on stabilizing defense reform while Pyongyang is strengthening party control and weapons modernization. • President Lee Jae Myung nominated retired four-star Gen. Kang Shin-chul to replace civilian Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back as resistance builds against plans to integrate South Korea's three military academies. • North Korea replaced Defense Minister No Kwang-chol with Kim Song-gi and restored veteran commander Pak Jong-chon as vice chairman of the Workers' Party Central Military Commission. 2026-08-31 17:26:29
  • Hanwha Aerospace signs K9 deal with Spain in Western Europe debut
    Hanwha Aerospace signs K9 deal with Spain in Western Europe debut SEOUL, August 31 (AJP) - Hanwha Aerospace has signed a contract with Spanish defense company Indra Sistemas to export K9 self-propelled howitzers, marking the South Korean defense manufacturer’s first entry into the Western European market. Hanwha Aerospace said in a regulatory filing Monday that it signed an execution contract with Indra for the export of K9 self-propelled howitzers and related systems. The company did not disclose the number of systems, contract value or delivery schedule, citing confidentiality obligations. Under the payment terms disclosed, Hanwha will receive an initial advance payment equivalent to 20 percent of the contract value following the signing, followed by another 5 percent within this year. While the total value remains undisclosed, the deal is estimated to exceed 667.5 billion won ($486 million), based on Korea Exchange rules requiring companies to disclose contracts exceeding a certain proportion of annual sales. Spanish defense publication Infodefensa previously reported that an artillery modernization program led by Indra could be worth up to 4.52 billion euros ($5.3 billion). The deal marks Hanwha Aerospace’s first K9 export to Western Europe, expanding the artillery system’s footprint beyond its established markets in Northern and Eastern Europe. Indra, one of Spain’s leading defense companies, operates in more than 140 countries and has capabilities in communications, command and control (C2) and situational awareness systems for ground forces. The company also maintains an extensive business network across Latin America. Hanwha said Spain represents the K9’s 11th export market since the company began exporting the artillery system to Türkiye in 2001. The K9 has since been supplied to countries including Poland, Finland, India, Norway, Estonia, Australia, Egypt and Romania. The company said the K9’s expansion into Western Europe reflects its proven firepower, mobility and operational and maintenance efficiency, demonstrated through years of service with multiple armed forces. The Spanish deal comes less than two weeks after Hanwha secured a U.S. Army contract on Aug. 19 to provide six prototypes of a wheeled variant of the K9 under the service’s artillery modernization efforts. The back-to-back deals highlight the K9 family’s expanding presence in major Western defense markets. Industry officials expect the K9 to continue broadening its overseas footprint, citing its combat-proven capabilities, competitive pricing, relatively rapid delivery and established logistics and maintenance support. Global market research firm Spherical Insights has projected that the global howitzer market will grow from $33 billion in 2023 to $78.8 billion by 2033, identifying Hanwha Aerospace as one of the sector’s key manufacturers. Shares of Hanwha Aerospace fell 4.67 percent to 1.103 million won on Monday. AJP Takeaways · Hanwha Aerospace signed a K9 howitzer deal with Spain’s Indra, entering Western Europe for the first time. · The contract is estimated to exceed 667.5 billion won ($486 million). · Spain becomes the K9’s 11th export market. 2026-08-31 15:14:07
  • Seoul steps up ferry safety checks ahead of Chuseok
    Seoul steps up ferry safety checks ahead of Chuseok SEOUL, August 31 (AJP) - South Korea will conduct special safety inspections of 141 coastal passenger ferries nationwide ahead of the Chuseok holiday, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said Monday. The joint inspections will run for 12 days from Aug. 31 through Sept. 11, involving the ministry, the Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority, the Korea Coast Guard, local governments and civilian safety inspectors. This year’s four-day Chuseok holiday runs from Sept. 24 to 27. The Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority expects an average of about 77,000 people per day to travel by passenger ferry during the holiday period, up about 2.8 percent from normal levels. The inspections are aimed at preventing maritime accidents and ensuring safe and comfortable travel during one of the country’s busiest holiday periods. Officials will examine the condition and maintenance of key equipment, including hulls, engines and lifesaving equipment, as well as the deployment of safety personnel at passenger boarding and disembarkation areas. Inspectors will also check passenger facilities, compliance with workplace safety rules for crew members to prevent onboard accidents and safety management for passengers in vehicle decks. Minor defects identified during the inspections will be corrected immediately on site, while issues requiring additional work must be addressed before the government’s special Chuseok transportation period begins on Sept. 23. “We will thoroughly carry out advance inspections of passenger ferry safety management so that people can travel home with peace of mind and spend a warm Chuseok holiday with their families,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister Hwang Jong-woo said. AJP Takeaways · South Korea will inspect 141 coastal passenger ferries nationwide from Aug. 31 to Sept. 11 ahead of the Chuseok holiday. · Around 77,000 passengers per day are expected to use ferries during Chuseok, up about 2.8 percent from normal levels. · Safety checks will cover hulls, engines, lifesaving equipment, boarding areas, passenger facilities and vehicle decks to prevent maritime accidents. 2026-08-31 13:47:04
  • Two in three South Koreans back nuclear armament, poll shows
    Two in three South Koreans back nuclear armament, poll shows SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - Nearly two-thirds of South Koreans support the country possessing its own nuclear weapons, while a majority oppose the government's push to merge the Army, Navy and Air Force academies, a Gallup Korea poll showed Friday. The survey of 1,001 adults conducted from Tuesday to Thursday found that 65 percent supported South Korea possessing nuclear weapons, compared with 30 percent who opposed the idea. Support reached 78 percent among supporters of the main opposition People Power Party, 60 percent among supporters of the ruling Democratic Party and 64 percent among politically unaffiliated respondents. The result suggests support for an independent nuclear capability has become a persistent feature of South Korean public opinion. Gallup Korea surveys conducted after North Korea's fifth nuclear test in 2016 and sixth test in 2017 found support at 58 percent and 60 percent, respectively. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimated in June that North Korea had assembled around 60 nuclear warheads and possessed enough fissile material for at least 30 more. Despite strong public support for nuclear armament, Seoul remains a non-nuclear weapons state and relies on U.S. extended deterrence, including Washington's nuclear umbrella. The poll also showed that support for nuclear weapons is not driven solely by fears of imminent conflict. Only 39 percent said they believed North Korea could actually start a war, while 55 percent said it could not. Even among those who saw no real risk of war, 58 percent still supported South Korea possessing nuclear weapons. Gallup Korea said the findings suggest many respondents may view nuclear weapons primarily as a deterrent rather than as weapons intended for actual use. Academy integration faces resistance On the government's plan to integrate the three service academies, 58 percent said they should remain separate, while 30 percent supported integration. The issue showed a sharp partisan divide. Among Democratic Party supporters, 54 percent backed integration, while 85 percent of People Power Party supporters and 70 percent of unaffiliated respondents opposed it. The government and ruling party agreed in July to establish a four-year integrated National Military Academy at Jaundae in Daejeon, replacing the existing service-specific academy structure. Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back has argued that the reform would reduce institutional silos and better prepare officers for joint and all-domain warfare. Alumni groups and other critics, however, say integration could weaken the distinct expertise and traditions of each service. Public split over OPCON timeline South Koreans were more evenly divided over the transfer of wartime operational control, or OPCON, from the United States. Forty-six percent said the transfer should be completed during President Lee Jae Myung's term, which ends in 2030, while 41 percent favored delaying it. Among self-described progressives, 74 percent supported completing the transfer during Lee's term, compared with 27 percent among conservatives. Among moderates, 48 percent supported the move and 43 percent opposed it. Seoul and Washington have agreed that OPCON transfer should be conditions-based rather than tied solely to a fixed date. The allies are currently in the second stage of a three-phase verification process, known as full operational capability. The Lee government has made completing the transition during his term a major defense objective. 70 percent see South Korean military as stronger Seventy percent of respondents said South Korea's military was stronger than North Korea's, while 21 percent viewed the North as superior. The latest South Korean defense white paper, published in 2023 using 2022 data, put North Korea's active-duty force at about 1.28 million troops, compared with about 500,000 in the South at the time. But the Defense Ministry has cautioned that numerical comparisons alone do not capture differences in equipment quality, training, operational concepts and allied capabilities. South Korea's active-duty force has since fallen to about 450,000 amid demographic decline, while Seoul has sought to compensate through advanced weapons, unmanned systems and its alliance with the United States. North Korea, meanwhile, retains major asymmetric capabilities, including nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles and long-range artillery. Younger Koreans see greater risk of war Perceptions of the likelihood of conflict varied sharply by age. While 39 percent overall said North Korea could actually start a war, the figure rose to 54 percent among those aged 18 to 29 and 53 percent among people in their 30s. Only 29 percent of respondents in their 40s saw such a possibility, the lowest among all age groups. The overall result was similar to a Gallup Korea survey conducted after North Korea's sixth nuclear test in 2017, when 37 percent said there was a possibility of war on the Korean Peninsula. The latest poll was conducted through telephone interviews using randomly selected mobile phone numbers. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level, with a contact rate of 44.5 percent and a response rate of 9.5 percent. AJP Takeaways · 65% of South Koreans support possessing nuclear weapons. · 58% oppose merging the Army, Navy and Air Force academies. · 70% believe South Korea’s military is stronger than North Korea’s. 2026-08-28 17:49:12
  • Marado drone flop exposes Koreas unmanned warfare gap
    Marado drone flop exposes Korea's unmanned warfare gap SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - Unmanned ground vehicles rolled down Kyiv's main boulevard, drone boats moved along the Dnipro River and bomber and interceptor drones filled the sky as Ukraine marked 35 years of independence from the Soviet Union this week, putting on public display its power behind sustaining its resistance against Russia into a fourth year. The unconventional military parade underscored how drones — rather than foot soldiers, spectacular warships or tanks — have come to define modern warfare. For South Korea, the contrast was uncomfortable. Two domestically developed suicide drones plunged into the sea within seconds of takeoff from the amphibious assault ship ROKS Marado during a publicly watched maritime combat test earlier this week, turning what was meant to showcase a new capability into an embarrassing flop. The failure also stirred concern in a country facing nuclear-armed North Korea, which has been expanding its own drone arsenal and has gained exposure to Iranian-made drones and battlefield tactics through closer military cooperation with Russia. A simple defect in the launcher, rather than a problem with the drones themselves, caused the two South Korean aircraft to crash during their first maritime combat test, the country's state-run defense research agency said Friday. The Agency for Defense Development (ADD) said an initial investigation found that a misaligned door on one of the launch tubes created an imbalance as the drones were fired from the Marado on Tuesday. "The unmanned aircraft and the overall system were confirmed to be operating normally," an ADD official told reporters Friday. "As developers, we are more disappointed than anyone that such a simple defect led to the worst possible outcome," the official said. The launcher consisted of two levels of launch tubes. According to ADD, a door on the left side of a lower tube had been installed slightly out of alignment. When a drone was fired from the upper tube, the force generated during launch briefly pushed the misaligned lower door inward. The resulting uneven reaction force pushed the departing aircraft to the right and destabilized it immediately after takeoff. The drone turned sharply to the right, became unable to maintain flight and fell into the sea. The deformation lasted only an instant before the door returned to its original position, making the problem difficult to detect during an inspection after the first crash, ADD said. A second drone launched from the same system shortly afterward also crashed. ADD said it had conducted dozens of previous launches without encountering the same problem. "We believe the misalignment may have occurred while moving the launcher, loading cargo or during the assembly process," the official said, adding that investigators were still trying to determine exactly when the launcher became distorted. The finding shifts attention away from initial questions over whether maritime conditions, ship movement or problems with the drones' flight-control systems had caused the accident. Still, shipboard operations pose challenges that do not arise during launches from land. "Launching drones from a ship is fundamentally different from doing so on land, given factors such as weather conditions and the limited space aboard a vessel," said Chae Woo-seok, chairman of the Korea Defense Industry Association. Both aircraft crashed within seconds of launch, before they could begin the main part of the demonstration, which was intended to test their ability to identify and strike a high-speed unmanned surface target about two kilometers away. ADD said it does not plan another maritime launch before the research project ends next month. The agency said the project's core technologies have already been demonstrated through dozens of successful ground launches, while the shipboard test was an additional experiment aimed at assessing the possibility of maritime operation. More than a flying bomb The accident has also drawn attention to what South Korea is trying to build as suicide drones increasingly shape wars from Ukraine to the Middle East. Broadly, suicide drones are unmanned aircraft carrying explosives that are destroyed along with their targets. They are also commonly described as one-way attack drones or, in systems capable of searching an area before striking, loitering munitions. The category covers weapons with dramatically different costs and capabilities. Iran's Shahed-136 represents one end of that spectrum. The roughly 200-kilogram aircraft is designed primarily as a relatively inexpensive, long-range one-way attack weapon. The system has an estimated range of between 1,000 and 2,500 kilometers and carries roughly 20 to 50 kilograms of payload, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Its main advantage is affordability and scale rather than technological sophistication. Analysts estimate a Shahed costs roughly $20,000 to $50,000, allowing large numbers to be launched simultaneously to exhaust or overwhelm much more expensive air defenses. Russia has demonstrated the concept extensively in Ukraine, using thousands of Shahed-type drones in repeated waves against infrastructure and other targets. The Center for Strategic and International Studies described their operational logic as one of attrition, in which even a relatively low individual success rate can be offset by low cost and mass deployment. Russia launched more than 14,700 one-way attack drones against Ukraine between September 2022 and the end of 2024, according to a CSIS analysis. Although roughly 90 percent of Shahed-type drones in the dataset were intercepted or otherwise failed to reach their targets, CSIS estimated that their relatively low unit cost of about $35,000 still made them Russia's most cost-effective long-range strike weapon. Russia was deploying more than 5,000 drones per month on average by early 2026, according to CSIS, allowing Moscow to sustain repeated attack waves despite heavy losses. The medium-sized drone tested aboard the Marado is intended to fill a different role. Defense officials have characterized the Korean system as a more "high-end" suicide drone. The ADD research program, launched in 2024, is aimed at securing technologies including integrated communications with low-Earth-orbit satellites and automatic target recognition. Those capabilities are intended to allow the drone to operate as part of a more sophisticated network, identify targets and alter its mission rather than simply fly toward a predetermined coordinate. Tuesday's planned experiment illustrated that distinction. Instead of attacking a fixed target whose location was already known, the drones were supposed to launch from a moving ship, identify a fast-moving unmanned vessel at sea and strike it. The project's stated goals include automatic target recognition and data exchange through low-Earth-orbit satellites. A direct comparison with the Shahed is therefore difficult. The Iranian drone is optimized largely around low cost, range and mass, while the Korean medium-sized system emphasizes sensors, communications, target recognition and precision. The added sophistication also raises the cost of a suicide drone designed to be destroyed after a single mission. The experience of the war in Ukraine suggests cost can directly affect combat power by determining how many drones a military can afford to expend and replace. The U.S. Defense Department has emphasized what it calls "attritable" autonomous systems, platforms built affordably enough that commanders can accept a greater risk of losing them, while pursuing deployment in large numbers. That does not necessarily mean every suicide drone should be built as cheaply as possible. A Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) official said the drone tested aboard the Marado falls toward the more sophisticated end of that spectrum. "The drone was developed with the goal of directly identifying targets using electro-optical and infrared cameras and changing its flight path in real time while in flight before striking," the official said. "That requires a number of different components to operate together, and integrating them into a single system inevitably adds considerable cost." The official stressed that South Korea is developing unmanned systems across a range of prices and capabilities rather than pursuing only high-end weapons. "We are not developing just a single type, but dozens of different types," the official said. "Just as there are low-cost cars and high-end, expensive cars on the market, it would be helpful to understand our drone development in the same way." AJP Takeaways • Two South Korean suicide drones crashed into the sea during a shipboard combat test after a misaligned launch-tube door destabilized them seconds after takeoff, according to ADD. • The failure came as Ukraine publicly showcased aerial, ground and maritime drones during its Independence Day military display, underscoring the growing role of unmanned weapons in modern warfare. • South Korea's medium-sized attack drone is designed with satellite communications, automatic target recognition and real-time course adjustment, placing it at the more sophisticated end of the one-way attack drone spectrum. • Seoul is developing unmanned weapons across a range of prices and capabilities as cheaper mass-produced drones and more advanced networked systems take on growing roles in modern conflicts. 2026-08-28 17:28:22