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Army expands VR-based training for reservists
The Korean Army is expanding its use of virtual reality and digital monitoring technologies in reserve force training, as part of efforts to make drills more realistic and improve training effectiveness. The Army said Friday it had unveiled a range of technology-integrated reserve training programs at the Seocho Reserve Training Center in southern Seoul, operated by the 52nd Infantry Division. A centerpiece of the new system is a virtual reality shooting simulator that uses a three-sided multisc
March 13, 2026 -
South Korea to require approval for hiring foreign, dual-national staff at defense firms
Defense companies in South Korea will be required to obtain government approval when appointing foreign nationals or dual nationals to executive posts or positions handling defense technologies, according to sources Friday. The requirement is part of revisions to the Defense Acquisition Program Act and the Defense Industry Technology Protection Act, which were recently approved at a Cabinet meeting, sources familiar with the matter said. The move comes amid growing concerns that appointing forei
March 13, 2026 -
Seoul eyes using commercial satellite imagery for defense
South Korea is considering the use of commercial satellite imagery for defense, a move aimed at reducing the cost of developing military satellites while expanding access to such data. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration said Thursday it has commissioned a study on ways to utilize commercial satellite imagery for military use. The agency said the study will serve as the basis for future projects to acquire and use commercial satellite imagery for defense operations. The 64.2 million w
March 12, 2026 -
Defense minister inspects S. Korea-US military exercise sites
Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back on Wednesday inspected sites of an ongoing South Korea-US military exercise, calling for thorough preparations for the planned recovery of wartime operational command from the United States. The minister visited the defense command headquarters, the command center for the Freedom Shield exercise, where he received a briefing on the progress of the drills, his ministry said. The allies launched the annual springtime military exercise on Monday for an 11-day run, with
March 11, 2026 -
Patriots, THAAD may be shipped to Middle East. Is South Korea safe without them?
Speculation about the possible redeployment of US missile defense assets stationed in South Korea to the Middle East has been growing, along with concerns about the potential impact such a move could have on the country’s defense posture. The speculation comes as Washington seeks to reinforce missile defense coverage for US bases and allies in the Middle East, amid a possibly prolonged confrontation with Iran. The Washington Post reported Monday, citing US officials, that the Pentagon is moving
March 11, 2026 -
Kim supervises destroyer cruise missile test amid Seoul-Washington drills
Click here for [Key points] NK leader oversees cruise missile test North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw the test-firing of strategic cruise missiles from the Choe Hyon destroyer, state media reported Wednesday, roughly a week after a similar launch from the same vessel. The latest test is widely seen as a show of force against the ongoing South Korea-US joint military exercises, with the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency saying it was intended to underscore Pyongyang’s nuclear dete
March 11, 2026 -
Deterrence posture against N. Korea won't be hindered, Cheong Wa Dae says amid reports of THAAD move
The deterrence posture against North Korea will not be hindered regardless of a potential shift of military assets owned by the US military stationed in South Korea, a senior official at Cheong Wa Dae said Wednesday, amid media reports that the US Forces Korea has shipped out some of its air defense assets from the Korean Peninsula. "Given our level of military capability, defense spending, defense industry capacity and the high morale of our troops, there is no problem with deterrence against N
March 11, 2026 -
Pentagon says USFK maintaining 'combat-credible' force posture in Korea amid THAAD redeployment report
US Forces Korea remains focused on ensuring a "combat-credible" force posture in South Korea, a US defense official said Tuesday, following a report that the Pentagon is moving parts of a key missile defense system from South Korea to the Middle East. Citing two officials, The Washington Post reported that part of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system stationed in South Korea were being moved, raising concerns that it could weaken deterrence against North Korea amid the US-Israel military
March 11, 2026 -
Top general visits key Marine, Navy units to inspect S. Korea-US drills
South Korea's top general on Tuesday visited key Marine Corps and Navy units to inspect their participation in an ongoing major exercise with U.S. troops, his office said. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Jin Yong-sung visited the Combined Marine Component Command and the Northwest Islands Defense Command and urged troops to verify wartime plans during the Freedom Shield exercise as South Korea seeks to take back wartime operational control from the United States, according to the JCS. Jin al
March 10, 2026 -
Kim Jong-un’s sister issues stark warning over South Korea-US military drills
Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, warned Tuesday that joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States could lead to “unimaginably terrible consequences,” as the allies began their annual spring drills on the Korean Peninsula. Kim, a department director in the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, issued the warning in a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency a day after South Korea and the US launched their annual joint exerc
March 10, 2026 -
Lee says S. Korea’s deterrence intact regardless of USFK developments
President Lee Jae Myung said South Korea’s deterrence against North Korea is not affected by the movement of US Forces Korea air defense assets, while underscoring the importance of self-reliant national defense. Presiding over a weekly Cabinet meeting, Lee noted that “it appears that recently controversy has arisen over the US Forces Korea taking certain assets such as (missile) batteries or air defense systems — out of the country.” “From our government’s standpoint, we expect the role of US F
March 10, 2026 -
Additional Cheongung-II interceptors shipped to UAE: reports
The United Arab Emirates appears to have received dozens of Cheongung-II interceptor missiles from South Korea, according to multiple reports Tuesday. Local wire service News1 reported that a UAE Air Force C-17 strategic transport aircraft was spotted departing from Daegu Airport, near South Korea’s K2 Air Base, on Monday afternoon. According to reports, the UAE’s C-17 transport aircraft arrived at Daegu Airport late Monday night, and the Cheongung-II interceptor missiles — developed by South Ko
March 10, 2026 -
Attacks reported near South Korean overseas units amid Middle East conflict
Attacks have occurred near South Korean overseas military units following the outbreak of war in the Middle East, with the units maintaining heightened protection measures to ensure the safety of personnel, according to government data released Tuesday. Data submitted by the Defense Ministry to Rep. Hwang Hee of the Democratic Party of Korea showed that a strike occurred about 31 kilometers northeast of the Dongmyeong Unit in Lebanon on Feb. 28, when the United States and Israel carried out airs
March 10, 2026 -
S. Korea launches new project to recover Korean War remains
South Korea’s Defense Ministry said Monday it has launched this year’s recovery mission searching for the remains of soldiers who died during the 1950-53 Korean War. According to the ministry, the project will be conducted in two phases, from March 9 to July 3 and from Sept. 1 to Nov. 27, with a preparation period in between. A total of 31 military units, including 30 Army units and the Marine Corps’ 1st Division, will participate in the project, with more than 100,000 troops participating cumul
March 9, 2026 -
Allies kick off Freedom Shield drills with fewer field exercises
The annual South Korea-US military exercise, Freedom Shield, kicked off Monday, with reduced outdoor field training drills. The command post–based exercise will run through March 19. This year’s drills are based on a scenario reflecting lessons from recent global conflicts, including changes in North Korea’s tactics following its troop deployment to Russia and the evolving threat posed by Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program. The exercise also carries added significance as the allies continue eff
March 9, 2026