SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Korea Bizwire) – North Korea’s defense chief on Monday warned that Pyongyang would exercise its “self-defense” right in the event of a provocation, denouncing a planned large-scale joint military exercise between South Korea and the United States. North Korean Defense Minister No Kwang-chol issued the warning a week before Seoul and Washington [...]
SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s military force has significantly dwindled, with total personnel expected to fall to 450,000 by July 2025, down from 560,000 in 2019. This marks a reduction of 110,000 soldiers over six years, a decline of more than 20%. The reduction follows a broader trend that has seen the army’s [...]
PYEONGTAEK, South Korea, Aug. 10 (Korea Bizwire) – The commander of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said taking “shortcuts” for the transition of wartime operational control (OPCON) to Seoul from Washington could imperil the readiness posture on the Korean Peninsula. Gen. Xavier Brunson stressed the need to adhere to bilaterally agreed-upon conditions for the OPCON [...]
SEOUL, Aug. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — The Trump administration has reportedly pressed South Korea for explicit consent regarding the strategic flexibility of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), a key issue that may emerge as a significant agenda item in upcoming U.S.-South Korea summits or security discussions. Strategic flexibility allows the U.S. military to expand its operational reach [...]
SEOUL, Aug. 8 (Korea Bizwire) — Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said Friday the government should consider raising the national terror alert level as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit draws near, in order to ensure the event is hosted successfully. According to his office, Kim made the remarks while presiding over a counter-terrorism commission meeting, [...]
SEOUL, Aug. 8 (Korea Bizwire) — The South Korean government on Friday delayed its decision on Google’s request to export high-precision map data overseas, the transport ministry said, amid pressure from Washington to resolve the issue, calling it a non-tariff barrier. In February, the U.S. tech giant submitted an application to the state-run National Geographic [...]
SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean shipbuilding conglomerate HD Hyundai Co. said Thursday it has signed an agreement with U.S. defense technology company Anduril Industries Inc. to expand cooperation in the naval defense sector, particularly in the development of unmanned surface vessels (USVs). The two companies signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on [...]
SEOUL, Aug. 5 (Korea Bizwire) — Google said Tuesday it will blur sensitive sites on its map and satellite image services to address Seoul’s national security concerns ahead of its decision this week on whether to allow overseas transfer of high-precision map data. “Just like in other countries, we respect national security and are working [...]
National security concerns and U.S. trade pressure shape South Korea’s cautious stance on data sovereignty SEOUL, August 4 (Korea Bizwire) — The South Korean government is deferring a key decision on whether to allow Google to export high-resolution mapping data until after an upcoming summit between President Lee Jae-myung and U.S. President Donald Trump, underscoring [...]
SEOUL, August 1 (Korea Bizwire) — As South Korea prepares to review Google’s request to export high-resolution local mapping data next month, government officials are signaling that national security—not trade relations—will remain the key lens through which the issue is assessed. Despite recent speculation that the matter might surface in the context of U.S.-Korea trade [...]