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Biden nominates new USFK chief
Lieutenant General Xavier T. Brunson. Courtesy of the U.S. Army SEOUL, September 12 (AJP) - Lieutenant General Xavier T. Brunson has been named as a nominee to lead the U.S. Forces Korea, the Pentagon said on Wednesday. U.S. President Joe Biden nominated him to replace General Paul LaCamera who has led the position since July 2021. Brunson's nomination, which comes as LaCamera's tour in Seoul ends, requires approval from the Senate. Brunson currently serves as the Commanding General
September 12, 2024
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LIG Nex1 selected as preferred bidder for reconnaissance unmanned surface vessels
SEOUL, September 11 (AJP) – LIG Nex1 said Wednesday that it has been selected as the preferred bidder to develop unmanned surface vessels (USVs) for the South Korean Navy. Under the project, two 12-meter-class USVs will be developed by 2027, aiming to enhance surveillance, reconnaissance and rapid response capabilities for forward naval bases and key ports, according to the Korean defense contractor. Since 2015, LIG Nex1 has been developing the Haegum (Sea Sword) series of USVs. The defe
September 11, 2024
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Kim Jong-un inspects test of new drones amid ongoing South Korea-US joint drill
SEOUL, August 26 (AJU PRESS) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un watched a test of new drones and vowed to develop more such weapons to boost the isolated country's war readiness, state media reported Monday. "It is necessary to develop and produce more suicide drones of various types to be used in tactical infantry and special operation units, as well as strategic reconnaissance and multi-purpose attack drones," Kim was quoted as saying by Pyongyang's state-run Korean Central N
August 26, 2024
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U.S. greenlights sale of Apache attack helicopters to Korea
SEOUL, August 20 (AJU PRESS) - Korea is expected to procure attack helicopters and relevant equipment from the United States. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said on Monday that the U.S. State Department has approved the sale of up to three dozen AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and other weapons to Korea. The procurement, estimated to cost approximately $3.5 billion (4.7 trillion Korean won), is being made under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, which is part of the U.S
August 20, 2024
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Korea accepts reduced Indonesian contribution for fighter jet project
SEOUL, August 16 (AJU PRESS) - Korea made a concession by accepting a reduced share of Indonesia's contribution to the two countries' joint development project for fighter jets, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said Friday. The amount Jakarta will shoulder has now been reduced from the initially agreed 1.6 trillion won (approximately US$1.2 billion) to 600 billion won ($450 million). The project was initially estimated to cost around 8.1 trillion won, but DAPA now
August 16, 2024
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Seoul to conduct civil defense drill next week
SEOUL, August 16 (AJU PRESS) - A four-day nationwide civil defense drill will be conducted next week, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Dubbed the "Ulchi civil defense exercise," the annual drill aims to enhance the country's preparedness for emergencies and ensure that citizens are familiar with evacuation procedures and safety measures. Next week's drill will involve approximately 140,000 participants from over 170 organizations, including the Seoul Metropolit
August 16, 2024
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Defense chiefs of S. Korea, US, Japan to meet in Tokyo next week
South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik (far right) shakes hands with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (center) and Japan's Defense Minister Minoru Kihara (far left) at IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on June 2, 2024. Yonhap SEOUL, July 26 (AJU PRESS) - The defense chiefs of South Korea, U.S. and Japan will gather for talks in Tokyo next week to bolster trilateral cooperation and tighten security on the Korean Peninsula. They last met on the sidelines of the IISS Shangri-L
July 26, 2024
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Geopolitical tensions propel earnings of Korean defense companies
SEOUL, July 11 (AJU PRESS) - Korean defense companies are expected to have more than doubled their operating profits in the second quarter, as exports sharply increased amid global geopolitical tensions and Europe's defense buildup, analysts said. Combined sales of five domestic defense contractors -- Hanwha Aerospace, Poongsan, Hyundai Rotem, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), and LIG Nex1 -- are estimated to grow 25.5 percent year-on-year to 6.4 trillion won ($4.6 billion) in the April-Jun
July 11, 2024
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Canadian Embassy celebrates founding day with hockey tournament in Seoul
SEOUL, July 2 (AJU PRESS) - The Embassy of Canada to Korea held a street hockey tournament in central Seoul on Monday. Held in a garden near the embassy, the friendly tournament was part of celebrations for the 157th anniversary of the country's founding, also called Canada Day. The tournament came after last week's port call of His Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) Montréal in Korea's western port city of Incheon. The frigate's crew members joined in Monday's tourna
July 2, 2024
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N. Korea, Russia to resume passenger train service next month
SEOUL, June 27 (AJU PRESS) - North Korea and Russia are set to resume passenger train services next month, amid deepening ties between the two countries. At the opening ceremony of an expo in Vladivostok early this week, Oleg Kozhemyako, the governor of Russia’s Primorsky Krai, announced the impending resumption. The development follows a recent summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang, where they agreed to strengthen their ties fur
June 27, 2024
