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Kim Jong-un calls for mass production of attack drones
SEOUL, November 15 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has ordered the mass production of attack drones, state media said on Friday. "The suicide attack drones to be used within different striking ranges are to perform a mission to precisely attack any enemy targets on the ground and in the sea," the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. According to KCNA, Kim expressed satisfaction during his on-site inspection of a drone test the previous day, emphas
November 15, 2024
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Joint military exercise with British soldiers underway near demilitarized zone
SEOUL, November 12 (AJP) - A military exercise involving British soldiers kicked off in South Korea on Monday. The 10-day joint exercise near the demilitarized zone dubbed "Exercise Imjin Warrior" - named after the "Battle of the Imjin River" in 1951 during the Korean War (1950~1953) - includes around 100 soldiers from the Royal Gurkha Rifles, a rifle regiment of the British Army and runs until next week. The military drill, the third of its kind, aims to strengthen the def
November 12, 2024
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French, Canadian envoys mark end of WWI with warning on global tensions
SEOUL, November 8 (AJP) - The French and Canadian embassies in Seoul marked the 106th anniversary of the end of World War I (1914- 1918) Friday reflecting on lessons from the Great War for today’s global hostilities. The solemn commemoration at the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul drew dozens of attendees, including diplomats, military officials and members of the French and Canadian communities in South Korea. The event included a poetry reading by high school students, a moment of silen
November 8, 2024
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South Korea to acquire more early warning aircraft from US
South Korea's E-7 aircraft flies in the sky, in this file photo taken in September 2011. Courtesy of the South Korean Air Force. SEOUL, November 5 (AJP) - South Korea will procure airborne early earning aircraft and other related equipment from the U.S. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said on Monday that the U.S. State Department has approved the sale of four E-7 airborne early warning & control aircraft along with relevant logistics and program support to Korea. The p
November 5, 2024
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North Korea hails 'successful' test launch of new ICBM
SEOUL, November 1 (AJP) - North Korea said Friday it successfully test-fired its new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) the previous day, praising it as an "ultimate" version of its long-range missiles. The missile, dubbed Hwasong-19, reportedly reached an altitude of 7,688 kilometers, traveling approximately 1,000 kilometers for about 86 minutes before landing in its targeted area in the East Sea, according to Pyongyang's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). "
November 1, 2024
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North Korea 'prepares nuclear test site'
SEOUL, October 30 (AJP) - North Korea appears to be preparing its nuclear test site at Punggye-ri and could be ready to conduct a test there soon, the Defense Intelligence Agency said on Wednesday. "Preparations for a transporter erector launcher (TEL) are complete, and it has been deployed to a specific location and an ICBM launch for technological verification of warhead re-entry could take place," the agency said in a close-door briefing to the National Assembly. This raises conce
October 30, 2024
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South Korean, US defense chiefs to hold talks in Washington
SEOUL, October 25 (AJP) - Defense officials from South Korea and the U.S. will gather for talks in Washington next week, the Ministry of National Defense here said on Friday. The annual Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) slated for next Wednesday at the Pentagon will be the first in-person meeting between South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and his U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin since Kim's appointment in early September. The main agenda of the meeting will be focused on discussing
October 25, 2024
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South Korea keeps eye on alleged North Korean troop deployment for Russia's war in Ukraine
SEOUL, October 17 (AJP) - Seoul is "closely monitoring" reports of Russia forming a special battalion composed of North Koreans, the National Intelligence Service here said Wednesday. The NIS also added that it is collaborating with Ukraine to verify these reports. The comments came days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused North Korea of sending troops to Russia. In his daily video message last weekend, he said, "We see an increasing alliance between Russia and r
October 17, 2024
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Trump signals massive hike for USFK upkeep if reelected
SEOUL, October 16 (AJP) - Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has implied the possibility of increasing South Korea's contribution for maintaining U.S. troops on the Korean Peninsula, if he wins a second U.S. presidency. Speaking at an interview with the Economic Club of Chicago and Bloomberg News on Tuesday, he claimed that South Korea would be paying US$10 billion annually for the upkeep of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) if he were still in office. Trump sa
October 16, 2024
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Russia urges South Korea to refrain from provocations over North Korea's drone allegations
SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) - Russia urged South Korea to refrain from "further provocations" regarding North Korea's allegations of Seoul deploying drones across the border. South Korea "should take Pyongyang's warnings very seriously and cease further escalation on the peninsula through their reckless and provocative campaign, which exacerbates tension and could lead to actual armed confrontations," said Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson from Russia's Foreign Ministr
October 15, 2024