SEOUL, November 11 (AJP) - South Korea is considering introducing a unified military academy system for cadets entering in 2029, with plans to relocate the Army academy while retaining existing Navy and Air Force training facilities, according to parliamentary sources Wednesday. Under a revised proposal presented to lawmakers, the Korea Military Academy, currently located in Seoul, would move to the central Chungcheong region, while the Naval Academy in Jinhae and the Air Force Acad

SEOUL, November 10 (AJP) - South Korea plans to increase purchases of infiltration equipment for its Army special forces by more than 16 times next year as part of efforts to strengthen independent operational capabilities ahead of the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) from the United States. According to the Defense Ministry's 2027 budget proposal submitted to the National Assembly, the military has allocated 131.9 billion won ($98 million) for special forces infi

SEOUL, November 09 (AJP) - South Korea's defense ministry is revising plans to merge the country's three military academies, amid reports that it may retain the existing institutions under a new joint education system, the ministry said Monday. "The ministry is currently refining its plan to establish a unified armed forces academy to train elite officers capable of leading future warfare," said a ministry spokesperson during a regular briefing. "Nothing has b

SEOUL, November 9 (AJP) - Hanwha Aerospace plans to test-fire its Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher system (MLRS) from a ship off the southern U.S. coast later this month, as the South Korean defense company seeks to expand the system's use beyond land-based operations. Hanwha Aerospace and its U.S. subsidiary, Hanwha Defense USA, said Monday they will conduct two ship-based firing tests using Chunmoo guided rockets. The tests will demonstrate the system's ability to opera

SEOUL, November 06 (AJP) - The U.S. Space Force has formally activated a new command to support military special operations, providing specialized personnel to counter threats such as GPS jamming and disrupted battlefield communications. The Space Forces Special Operations Command (SPACEFOR-SOC) held its activation ceremony at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida on Nov. 2, according to the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). The organization, which officially took eff

SEOUL, November 05 (AJP) - South Korean drone maker Preneu and a consortium led by DamsTech won top honors in a government-organized competition testing drones against counter-drone systems, the Defense Ministry said Thursday. The two-day competition was held on Nov. 3 and 4 at the Seungjin Training Ground in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, bringing together six teams selected through preliminary rounds in June. Three drone teams and three counter-drone teams competed in six matches,

SEOUL, November 05 (AJP) - Drones are moving higher up South Korea’s military priorities as lessons from Ukraine and the Middle East reshape its forces. A three-year-old drone command has shed its combat role to become a hub for technology and development, with reconnaissance and strike missions spreading across the armed services. The change goes beyond a new nameplate. The Defense Drone Headquarters will help identify what the military needs, test emerging technologies and b

SEOUL, November 5 (AJP) - Hanwha Aerospace has begun construction of a manufacturing plant for guided rockets in Poland, the defense company said on Thursday. A groundbreaking ceremony for the plant was held the previous day in Gorzów Wielkopolski, western Poland, attended by Polish defense officials, Hanwha executives and representatives of Hanwha WB Advanced System (HWBAS), a joint venture between Hanwha Aerospace and Poland's largest private defense company WB Grou

SEOUL, November 04 (AJP) - South Korea has launched a project worth about $22 million to develop an AI system that predicts maintenance needs for military equipment, officials said Wednesday. The four-year project aims to reduce costs and improve military readiness by analyzing maintenance data from weapons systems, including K2 tanks and FA-50 light combat aircraft. The Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources held a project launch meeting a