Seoul, May 10 (IANS) South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back said on Sunday that South Korea and the United States face “no major issues” in accelerating the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON), stressing that the allies have made “significant progress” in meeting the conditions agreed upon by the two sides for the transition. Ahn made the remarks before departing for Washington for talks with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, scheduled for Monday (US time), as Seoul is seeking t…
Latest US Forces Korea News & Updates
Seoul, May 9 (IANS) South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back will visit the United States next week for talks with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, the defence ministry said Saturday, as the allies seek to discuss a host of pending issues, including the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON). Ahn will make a five-day trip to Washington starting Sunday and plans to hold talks with his American counterpart on Monday (US time), the ministry said. It will be Ahn’s first visit to the US …
Seoul, May 7 (IANS) South Korea and the United States will hold their high-level defence talks in Washington next week, Seoul’s defence ministry said Thursday, with the wartime Operational Control (OPCON) transfer and access control of the inter-Korean buffer zone expected to top the agenda.The biannual Korea-US Integrated Defence Dialogue (KIDD) will take place from Tuesday through Wednesday (US time), the ministry said in a release.Kim Hong-cheol, Deputy Defence Minister for policy, will lead …
Washington, April 30 (IANS) A Pentagon official on Thursday declined to comment on a potential U.S. force posture change in South Korea, but highlighted the United States’ “unwavering” defence commitment to the Asian ally, amid reemerging concerns over the possibility of a troop drawdown in Korea.The official’s remarks came as questions resurfaced over whether the U.S. might consider reducing its 28,500-strong United States Forces Korea (USFK) after US President Donald Trump said Wednesday the U…
Seoul, April 30 (IANS) South Korea and the United States are not discussing drawing down the 28,500-strong US forces stationed in Korea, a Seoul defense ministry official said Thursday, after US President Donald Trump said his administration is weighing a possible reduction of American troops in Germany.Trump said in a social media post that the US is “studying and reviewing” the possible reduction of troops in Germany, with the decision possibly to be made “over the next short period of time.”T…
Seoul, April 28 (IANS) Issues between close allies should be resolved based on mutual respect and fundamental principles, South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung said Tuesday. Lee made the remarks during a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, stressing that “cooperation with traditional allies should also be developed.””(We) need the wisdom to build healthy, future-oriented relations with traditional allies, while resolving pending issues based on mutual respect, common sense and principles,” he told…
Seoul, April 23 (IANS) A timeline for the handover of wartime operational control (OPCON) to South Korea from the United States will be set in this year’s annual ministerial meeting and proposed to the leaders of the two countries, Seoul’s defence ministry said on Thursday. The remarks by a ministry official came after US Forces Korea (USFK) commander Gen. Xavier Brunson said the allies aim to meet conditions required for the envisioned OPCON transfer no later than the first quarter of 2029.”Bas…
Washington, April 16 (IANS) Top US commanders in the Indo-Pacific will attend Senate and House committee hearings at the Capitol in Washington next week, Congress’s website showed, amid concerns that the US-Israeli war against Iran could affect America’s focus on countering threats from China and North Korea.Adm. Samuel Paparo, the commander of US Indo-Pacific Command, and US Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson will testify before the Senate and House Armed Services Committees on Tuesday …
Seoul, March 11 (IANS) 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 (USFK) has shipped out some of its air defense assets from the Korean Peninsula.”Given our level of military capability, defence spending, defence industry capacity and the high morale of our troops, there is no prob…
Seoul, March 10 (IANS) South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Tuesday that a potential relocation of military assets owned by the US military stationed in South Korea will not affect the deterrence posture against North Korea.Citing media reports that the US Forces Korea (USFK) might have recently shipped out some weapons, including an anti-missile defence system, Lee told a Cabinet meeting, “If you ask if our deterrence strategy against North Korea is severely affected (because of a possible…