SEOUL, March 21 (Korea Bizwire) — Saab, a Swedish defense firm, argued Wednesday that its Swordfish maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) is an optimum model for use by South Korea’s Navy, which is seeking to bolster its ability to counter North Korea’s submarines, some of which are equipped with ballistic missiles. The Navy is eager to [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 23 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea will increase the research and development (R&D) budget for joint defense technology cooperation between civilians and military to facilitate concerted efforts to develop high-tech arms equipment and systems, the commerce ministry said Friday. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said the basic plan on the joint [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Korea Bizwire) — The foreign ministry on Wednesday admitted that a controversial part of a 2014 agreement to share costs for United States forces stationed in South Korea was omitted from its report to the National Assembly for ratification. The ministry’s recent review of the agreement found that its implementation arrangement, under [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 20 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s defense ministry affirmed Tuesday that the country’s troops will conduct combined command-post drills with the United States this year despite Olympics-driven rapprochement with North Korea. The allies will hold the Key Resolve (KR) and the Ulchi Freedom Guardian (UFG) exercises in order to develop their so-called 4D [...]
WASHINGTON, Jan. 25 (Korea Bizwire) — The defense chiefs of South Korea and the United States will meet in Hawaii Friday to discuss issues related to the bilateral alliance, including North Korea. Speaking to reporters Wednesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said he will meet with South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo on his way [...]
SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea has developed a new thermal imagery sight for the 20-mm anti-aircraft Vulcan cannon, the state arms agency said Wednesday. The new device will be delivered to the local Army, Air Force and Marine Corps, starting in 2019, to replace the existing AN/TVS-5 night vision sight, according to [...]
SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo will leave for the Middle East later Wednesday to inspect the nation’s troops deployed there, his ministry announced. Song is scheduled to visit the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman and Lebanon to meet the troops from Friday till Sunday. It will be his [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — The main opposition leader voiced his objection Friday to President Moon Jae-in’s push to retake wartime operational control (OPCON) from the United States at an early date. Hong Joon-pyo, the leader of the conservative Liberty Korea Party, pointed out that South Korea’s independent defense capabilities are not yet sufficient [...]