-
S. Korea, US Marines hold joint infantry drills
South Korean and US Marines have staged a 10-day joint infantry exercise, the South's Marine Corps said Wednesday, in continued efforts to enhance their combined combat capabilities. Some 440 troops from South Korea's 2nd Marine Division and the US 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force took part in the drills launched on March 3 and conducted in training facilities in Gimpo and Ganghwa, northwest of Seoul, according to the Marine Corps. In the first segment of the training, Marines from both sides were
March 12, 2025 -
Navy conducts maritime rescue drills in conjunction with joint exercise with US
The Navy conducted maritime search and rescue drills Wednesday in waters off the country's eastern coast as part of an annual combined exercise held between South Korea and the United States. The exercise, which mobilized a P-3 maritime patrol aircraft, two UH-60 helicopters and two CARV-Ⅱ aircraft, was designed to train troops to swiftly search for and rescue wounded service members and transfer them to a rear area while providing emergency care, according to the Navy. "The key of air search an
March 12, 2025 -
Air Force pilots in accidental bombing could face criminal charges: experts
Two KF-16 fighter jet pilots blamed for accidentally dropping bombs on a village in Pocheon last week could face criminal charges, experts said Tuesday. South Korea’s Air Force on Monday reaffirmed pilot error as the cause of the accident that left 31 people injured, including 19 civilians, in the village of Nogok-ri, Idong-myeon, Pocheon, near the inter-Korean border, last week. The Air Force stressed that the pilots failed to follow the mandatory procedure of checking the coordinates of their
March 11, 2025 -
South Korea, Europe draw closer, as Trump’s return reshapes security order
Korea holds 1st space security dialogue with EU, launches Indo-Pacific dialogue with Germany South Korea and the European Union held their first space security dialogue to enhance cooperation in countering escalating threats in outer space, as part of ongoing efforts for closer security alignment. The tighter cooperation comes amid the increasing interconnection of security between the Indo-Pacific region and Europe, as well as a shifting security landscape under US President Donald Trump, who h
March 11, 2025 -
North Korea slams South Korea-US military drill as preemptive strike rehearsal
North Korea denounced South Korea and the United States on Tuesday, claiming the two allies are using the annual Freedom Shield exercise ― a large-scale joint military drill that began the previous day ― as a rehearsal for a preemptive strike on its nuclear facilities. The Korean Central News Agency, a North Korean state-run media outlet, accused the two allies of escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula by increasing the scale of their joint drills, referring to the Freedom Shield exercise.
March 11, 2025 -
Navy holds maritime drills against WMD proliferation
The Navy said Tuesday it conducted maritime drills aimed at curbing weapons of mass destruction proliferation in connection to an ongoing major South Korea-US military exercise. The WMD interdiction exercise took place in waters off the southwestern island of Gageodo, mobilizing three warships, including the ROKS Jeonbuk frigate, along with Navy special forces and a coast guard vessel, a day after the allies launched the annual Freedom Shield exercise. The maritime drills focused on detecting an
March 11, 2025 -
Air Force apologizes, reaffirms pilot error
Pilot failed to check coordinates 3 times in fighter jet bombing accident: Air Force South Korea's Air Force on Monday apologized for the accidental bombing of a civilian district last week, explaining that their pilots failed to follow the mandatory procedure of checking the coordinates at least three times. "We would like to again apologize for the concerns we have caused for South Korean citizens regarding the accidental bombing by our fighter jets on March 6," the Air Force said in a stateme
March 10, 2025 -
N. Korea launches ballistic missiles as S. Korea-US military drill begins
North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles toward the West Sea on Monday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff reported, in an apparent protest against South Korea and the United States' large-scale annual military drill. The JCS said in a message sent to press in Seoul that it detected North Korea launching multiple ballistic missiles from inland areas of the Hwanghae provinces toward the West Sea at around 1:50 p.m. "Our military has reinforced surveillance and vigilance while maintaining
March 10, 2025 -
North Korea warns US and South Korea will 'pay dearly' for joint military exercise
North Korea condemned an upcoming US-South Korea joint military exercise Friday, saying that "counteraction is inevitable" and warning that the allies would "pay dearly." The threat came one day after the United States and South Korea announced that their annual springtime Freedom Shield exercise would run from Monday through March 20, involving computer-simulated drills and on-field training. Freedom Shield will reflect "realistic threats, lessons learned from recent armed conflicts and evolvin
March 7, 2025 -
Allies halt live-fire drills after Korean jets accidentally bomb village
The South Korean military has suspended all live-fire drills in its annual joint exercises with the United States after two KF-16 fighter jets accidentally bombed a civilian area during a training exercise the previous day. US Forces Korea also confirmed in a statement released Friday that no US Air Force aircraft were involved in the drill. However, USFK said it will pause live-fire drills that were supposed to be conducted as part of Freedom Shield 25, while the planned command post exercises
March 7, 2025 -
Accidental fighter jet bombing leaves 29 injured, including 15 civilians: defense ministry
The defense ministry said Friday a total of 29 people, including 15 civilians, have been injured from an accidental fighter jet bombing of a northern village earlier this week. On Thursday, two KF-16 fighter jets "abnormally" dropped eight MK-82 bombs outside a training range in Pocheon, some 40 kilometers north of Seoul, leading to multiple injuries and damage to buildings. As of Friday morning, 15 civilians and 14 service members had been injured from the bombing, including two civilians who w
March 7, 2025 -
USFK to pause all live-fire drills after S. Korean fighter jets mistakenly bomb village
The US Forces Korea said Friday it has agreed to pause all live-fire training after South Korean fighter jets mistakenly bombed a village during joint live-fire drills earlier this week. On Thursday, two KF-16 fighter jets "abnormally" released eight MK-82 bombs outside a training range in Pocheon, some 40 kilometers north of Seoul, during the drills, leaving 15 people injured and damaging eight buildings, according to military and rescue officials. "The US and ROK militaries have agreed to paus
March 7, 2025 -
Two South Korean Air Force jets mistakenly bomb border village; at least 15 injured
Pilot erred by entering coordinates of wrong strike target, Air Force official says Two South Korean fighter jets accidentally dropped eight bombs on a village near the inter-Korean border during a live-fire drill Thursday morning, injuring at least 15 people and damaging several buildings. Two people were seriously injured, while 13 sustained minor injuries, according to fire authorities at around 2 p.m. Of the 13, 10 people were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. One person, 60, w
March 6, 2025 -
South Korean FM says no rewards for North Korea in peace talks, pledges aid for Ukraine
South Korea, Poland vow united stance on North Korea, Ukraine war, defense cooperation South Korea’s top diplomat stressed that North Korea must not be compensated for its illicit support of Russia’s war efforts in negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, while also pledging Seoul’s continued humanitarian and financial assistance to Kyiv. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul reaffirmed this stance during his meeting with his Polish counterpart, Radoslaw Sikorski, on Wednesday in Polish capit
March 6, 2025 -
S. Korea, US to hold 1st Freedom Shield drill since Trump's return
South Korea and the United States will conduct their annual Freedom Shield combined military exercise, a large-scale drill aimed at strengthening the allies' readiness and deterrence capabilities, from Monday to March 21, military authorities announced Thursday. According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, this year’s Freedom Shield exercise will incorporate realistic threat scenarios reflecting North Korea’s recent military tactics and strategic shifts, including its growing partnership wi
March 6, 2025