North Korea launches multiple artillery shells into West Sea SEOUL, December 10 (AJP) - The Joint Chiefs of Staff said Wednesday that North Korea fired about a dozen projectiles into the West Sea the previous day. "We detected around 10 artillery shells launched toward the West Sea at around 3 p.m. the previous day. The launch is presumed to be part of Pyongyang's regular artillery exercises," the JCS said, adding that it is conducting a thorough analysis of the launch. The launch comes as North Korea continues its winter military training, which typically begins in December. The North also fired a similar barrage of more than 10 artillery rounds early last month into the West Sea, which are believed to have sufficient range to hit targets in Seoul and nearby areas. "We are closely monitoring the situation and are prepared to respond to any provocation," a JCS official said. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-10 09:55:32

Remains of 25 Korean War soldiers recovered in DMZ SEOUL, December 1 (AJP) - Some 25 remains and 1,962 belongings from the Korean War (1950-193) were recovered in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), the Ministry of Defense said on Monday. According to the ministry, the monthlong excavation, conducted by over 100 South Korean and UN troops from mid-October to late November, recovered the remains, many of which are believed to be South Korean soldiers, with precise identification pending further analysis and DNA testing. The project was resumed in October as part of efforts to ease military tensions between the two Koreas under the 2018 inter-Korean military pact, but North Korea has not participated, leaving South Korea to carry out the work alone. Previously, South Korea recovered 424 remains between April 2019 and June 2021, and an additional 67 remains between September 2021 and November 2022. The ministry said, "This effort aims to return the fallen heroes of the war to their families and fulfill the government's commitment to peace in the DMZ." * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-01 14:05:45

US envoy urges allies to address 'common challenges' in Indo-Pacific SEOUL, November 28 (AJP) - Acting U.S. Ambassador to Seoul Kevin Kim on Friday stressed the importance of addressing shared challenges on the Korean Peninsula as well as in the Indo-Pacific region. "First and foremost, addressing the common challenges on the Korean Peninsula, as well as the Indo-Pacific region, first starts with having a shared assessment of the threats that we face," Kim said at a forum in Seoul. "Ultimately what matters is that we strengthen deterrence on the Korean Peninsula and the Indo-Pacific region," he added. Describing South Korea as a "model ally," Kim highlighted the strong bilateral alliance, citing a recently signed joint fact sheet covering a wide range of cooperation in defense, economy, and trade, as well as a shared vision for the Indo-Pacific region. Calling U.S. President Donald Trump a "peacemaker," Kim said Trump has pursued approaches to engaging with North Korea and that no option should be ruled out. The comments suggest Trump could enlist Chinese President Xi Jinping's support in facilitating dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his planned visit to Beijing in April next year. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-28 16:08:47

Defense Ministry forms task force to investigate those involved in martial law debacle SEOUL, November 21 (AJP) - A task force has been formed to investigate any illegal activities by military personnel and officials during disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law debacle late last year, the Ministry of Defense said on Friday. Minister Ahn Kyu-back will lead the task force consisting of some 50 members from various military branches and civilian advisers, in coordination with a separate task force headed by Prime Minister Kim Min-seok to conduct relevant investigations. "The task force will review all internal and externally-obtained data including those currently under investigation by independent prosecutors, and also accept tipoffs," the ministry said. Since August, the ministry has been conducting an internal audit to identify those involved in the Dec. 3 declaration of martial law. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-21 14:31:42

North Korean leader attends ceremony for new hydropower plant SEOUL, November 21 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended a ceremony marking the completion of a hydropower plant in Kangwon Province, state media reported on Friday. According to the state-run Rodong Sinmun, Kim visited the plant the previous day, the sixth to be built in the region amid the country's chronic electricity shortage. In his speech, Kim described the plant's completion as a significant achievement, praising the collaboration between the military and civilians in its construction and calling it a "fortress of socialist belief." The visit came just a few days after Kim attended the grand opening of a hospital near Pyongyang earlier in the week. These visits appear to be part of efforts to boast his key projects aimed at boosting the local economy ahead of the country's Party Congress, slated for early next year. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-21 11:07:37

South Korea's first submarine sets sail on final voyage SEOUL, November 19 (AJP) - South Korea's first submarine Jang Bogo embarked on its final voyage on Wednesday, ahead of its retirement later this year. The 1,200-ton vessel, named after a legendary captain and maritime trader from the ancient kingdom of Silla, will retire at the end of this year, concluding its 34-year mission to protect the country's maritime sovereignty. The submarine set off from a naval base in Jinhae for the two-hour farewell cruise with its first captain Ahn Byung-gu, and other crew members on board, returning to the base to the salute of whistles from fellow submarines. Built in Germany in 1988 and officially commissioned in 1993, the submarine has sailed over 342,000 miles during its service. The vessel participated in major international maritime exercises including the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) and Silent Shark, a biennial drill conducted by South Korea and the U.S. Since last year, the submarine has been used primarily for training crew members. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-19 14:59:32

South Korea proposes military talks with North to set clear demarcation line SEOUL, November 17 (AJP) - South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense has formally proposed talks with North Korea to establish a clear baseline for the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), in what would be the first military dialogue between the two sides since 2018. Kim Hong-chul, director of the ministry’s Defense Policy Office, said Monday that North Korean troops have repeatedly crossed the MDL while constructing tactical roads, laying fences and planting mines inside the Demilitarized Zone. The activity, he warned, has heightened tensions and increased the risk of unintended clashes. “This situation raises the possibility of accidental military conflict,” Kim said, urging the North to accept talks aimed at reducing tensions and preventing miscalculations. Seoul has proposed that the discussions take place through the inter-Korean liaison channel at Panmunjeom, with the timing and precise format to be arranged if Pyongyang agrees. Kim noted that the current disputes over the boundary stem from the deterioration and loss of many original MDL markers installed after the 1953 armistice, leaving both sides with differing views of the line’s exact location. A defense ministry official said the markers were placed under the supervision of the Military Armistice Commission in August 1953, but maintenance effectively ceased in 1973 after North Korean forces opened fire on UN Command personnel performing repairs. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-17 17:35:21

North Korea slams G7 statement on denuclearization SEOUL, November 14 (AJP) - North Korean on Friday denounced a recent joint statement by the foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) countries earlier this week. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui expressed "strong dissatisfaction and regret" over what she described as "hostile acts" by the G7 ministers in condemning the statement. The statement came on Wednesday, after the ministers wrapped up the G7 gathering in Canada, where they reaffirmed North Korea's complete denuclearization. She added, "The way of ensuring the peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the Asia-Pacific region is not the advocating of the unrealistic 'denuclearization' but the respecting of the Constitution of the ." Choe also claimed, "In the present grim geopolitical environment, the possession of nukes is the most correct option to deter the most dangerous and hostile states." * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-14 11:13:27

North Korea launches ballistic missile into East Sea SEOUL, November 7 (AJP) - North Korea launched an unidentified ballistic missile into the East Sea, military authorities said on Friday. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected suspicious activities at around noon, shortly before the missile was fired from North Pyongan Province. According to JCS, the missile, believed to be short-range, flew 700 kilometers before splashing into the sea near Kilju in North Hyanggyong Province. Friday's launch is the seventh this year and comes about two weeks after the previous provocation on Oct. 22, when North Korea fired several short-range missiles, just ahead of last week's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju. The previous day, the North denounced the latest U.S. sanctions on eight North Korean individuals and two entities allegedly involved in cyber fraud and other illicit money-laundering schemes. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-07 13:46:25

Defense chiefs of South Korea, US to hold annual security talks in Seoul next week SEOUL, October 27 (AJP) - South Korean and U.S. defense chiefs will meet in Seoul next week. According to the Ministry of National Defense, Defense Minister Ahn Kyu-back will hold talks with U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth for their annual Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) in Seoul on Nov. 4. The working-level talks between the two, which will cover key military policies and security issues, mark the first such meeting since the new administrations of both countries took office earlier this year. "A wide range of topics will be discussed to strengthen the bilateral alliance in a future-oriented and mutually beneficial manner, in response to changing security environments and threats," the ministry said. These include coordination on policies toward North Korea, a combined defense posture, extended deterrence, regional security cooperation, and collaboration in the defense industry. In a press release earlier, the U.S. Department of War said Hegseth will "applaud Seoul's willingness to step up on defense spending and assume greater responsibility for the alliance's deterrence and defense," suggesting that the modernization of the bilateral alliance will be discussed including possible changes to the role of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) and adjustments to South Korea's defense spending. Discussions on the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) to Seoul are also expected to be on the agenda. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-27 10:09:44