Military begins deployment of 'monster' Hyunmoo-5 missile

South Korea's military has begun deploying the high-power Hyunmoo-5 ballistic missile, military sources said Sunday, as Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back called for a "balance of terror" to counter North Korea's nuclear threat. The surface-to-surface missile -- dubbed a "monster" because of its size -- is designed to strike underground bunkers and is a key element of South Korea's plan to deter and, if necessary, respond to a major North Korean attack. South Korea has increasingly emphasized convent

Jan. 18, 2026

Ex-Marine investigator takes office as acting head of defense investigative unit

A former Marine Corps chief investigator who was acquitted of insubordination charges in a probe into the death of a conscript has been sworn in as an acting head of a defense investigative unit, military officials said Friday. Brig. Gen. Park Jung-hun was inaugurated the previous day as the acting director of the Criminal Investigation Command (CIC), after he was promoted to the rank of one-star general in a military reshuffle last Friday, according to officials. The CIC is the highest investig

Jan. 16, 2026

Ex-intel chief's role meets treason criteria in Yoon martial law plot: ministry

Former counterintelligence chief Yeo In-hyeong’s role in the developments leading up to the declaration of martial law in December 2024 meets the criteria for treason-related charges, according to a Defense Ministry document submitted Thursday to a ruling party lawmaker. According to a disciplinary decision obtained by Rep. Choo Mi-ae of the Democratic Party of Korea, the Defense Ministry’s military disciplinary committee determined that Yeo — then commander of the Defense Counterintelligence Co

Jan. 15, 2026

Gap in top officials' stance over drone developments highlight division in Seoul's NK response

Differences in top Seoul officials' comments relating to alleged South Korean drone incursions into North Korea are once again highlighting dissonance in North Korea policies within the South Korean government. “North Korea again issued a statement late last night demanding acknowledgment, an apology and guarantees against recurrence regarding the drone incident,” Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said during a briefing at an affiliated Unification Ministry agency. “A joint (South Korean) mi

Jan. 15, 2026

S. Korea completes test flights of KF-21, homegrown 4.5-generation fighter

South Korea has completed all planned test flights for the KF-21 fighter jet, clearing the way for its deployment to the military later this year, the country’s arms procurement agency said Tuesday. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration said the final test flight was conducted Monday over the southern sea off Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, using the fourth prototype aircraft, marking the completion of the jet’s full flight test program. The KF-21 project was led by Korea Aerospace

Jan. 13, 2026

South Korea probes alleged NK drone intrusion

South Korea has launched a military-police investigation into allegations that drones originating from the South intruded into North Korean airspace, as the government moves to contain tensions and signal that the incident was not a military operation, the Ministry of National Defense said Monday. President Lee Jae Myung ordered the probe Sunday, as he directed authorities to swiftly establish the facts surrounding the alleged drone incursions and determine whether any laws were violated. Defens

Jan. 12, 2026

Seoul issues denial as N. Korea claims new drone incursions

North Korea stepped up pressure on South Korea over the weekend, claiming that South Korean drones had been flown over its territory — an allegation immediately denied by Seoul, which has been seeking a breakthrough in stalled inter-Korean dialogue. The exchange followed Pyongyang’s claim early Saturday that South Korea had infringed on its sovereignty through drone incursions in September and again in the past week. South Korea’s Defense Ministry rejected the accusation, saying the drones in qu

Jan. 11, 2026

South Korea-US ground forces command made permanent amid OPCON push

The Combined Ground Component Command, a joint South Korea-US ground forces command, has been converted into a standing unit, military officials said Friday, marking another step toward Seoul’s long-standing goal of regaining wartime operational control from Washington. The decision to permanently establish the CGCC was approved at a South Korea-US Permanent Military Committee meeting in late October last year, following a phased evaluation process that began in 2019. The command began operating

Jan. 9, 2026

Officer who resisted pressure in Marine death probe promoted to general

Col. Park Jung-hoon, the former Marine Corps investigator who was removed from his post after resisting external pressure in an investigation into the 2023 death of a Marine, has been promoted to brigadier general, the Defense Ministry said Friday. Park led the Marine Corps’ investigation into the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun, but was dismissed from his position in 2023 and later indicted on insubordination charges after refusing to revise investigative findings. He was acquitted at a military cou

Jan. 9, 2026

Defense Counterintelligence Command to disband after 49 years

A special committee under the Ministry of Defense on Thursday laid out plans to dismantle the military’s Defense Counterintelligence Command, a unit believed to have been deeply involved in supporting former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s aborted martial law scheme in 2024. The civilian-military task force launched in September 2025 to examine military units linked to the Dec. 3, 2024, martial law declaration and propose measures to prevent a recurrence. Hong Hyun-ik, chair of the committee on counte

Jan. 8, 2026

Defense chief urges firm combined readiness posture during visit to joint command

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back on Tuesday visited the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command and called for a firm readiness posture in a changing security environment, the defense ministry said. During the visit to the CFC based at Camp Humphreys, a key US base in Pyeongtaek located some 60 kilometers south of Seoul, Ahn met with US Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson, who also doubles as the CFC commander, according to the ministry. In their meeting, Ahn noted how his visit to the comman

Jan. 6, 2026

US strike on Venezuela reinforces Kim Jong-un’s nuclear fixation, experts say

The US military strike on Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolas Maduro have sent a stark warning to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, reinforcing his belief that nuclear weapons are essential for survival, South Korean experts said Monday. According to Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University’s Institute for Far Eastern Studies, the US operation could deliver two powerful messages to Kim: an “existential threat” and a “justification for nuclear fixation.” “The humiliating capture

Jan. 5, 2026

Pentagon says no decision made on fate of Korea-based Army squadron reported to have been deactivated

WASHINGTON -- A Pentagon official said Friday that no decision has been made on the fate of a US Army squadron in South Korea, which was reported to have been deactivated as part of a military transformation initiative. The remarks came after a recent Congressional Research Service (CRS) report said that the 5th Air Cavalry Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment (5-17 ACS) at Camp Humphreys, a key US base in Pyeongtaek, some 60 kilometers south of Seoul, ceased operations on Dec. 15. "No decision has b

Jan. 3, 2026

S. Korean military to offer drone operation training to all conscripts next year

South Korea's military will offer all conscripts drone operation training starting next year in its bid to strengthen combat capabilities in modern warfare, the defense ministry said Wednesday. Under the plan, dubbed the "500,000 drone warrior" project, the ministry will allocate some 33 billion won ($22.9 million) next year to acquire around 11,000 small commercial drones required for training. The plan comes as part of the military's efforts to enhance combat skills using drones, which have be

Dec. 31, 2025

Hanwha Aerospace to sign 5.6 tln-won Chunmoo export contract with Poland

Hanwha Aerospace Co. said Monday it will sign a third-stage contract with the Polish arms procurement agency to export its Chunmoo multiple launch rocket systems to the European nation. The 5.6 trillion-won ($3.9 billion) deal to provide the 80-kilometer-range guided missile, known as the CGR-080, will be signed in Warsaw between Poland's Armament Agency and a consortium consisting of Hanwha Aerospace and Hanwha WB Advanced System, according to Hanwha Aerospace. HWB is a joint venture between Ha

Dec. 29, 2025