Korea Joongang Daily
Korea JoongAng Daily

USFK troop drawdown not being discussed: Defense Ministry

South Korea and the United States are not discussing a drawdown of the 28,500-strong U.S. forces stationed in Korea, a Ministry of National Defense official said Thursday.

2026-04-30

Korea, Latvia discuss expanding defense industry partnerships

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back expressed hope Wednesday of expanding defense industry partnerships between Korea and Latvia during a meeting with the speaker of the Latvian parliament, Seoul's Defense Ministry said.

2026-04-29

Korea holds interagency meeting on defense industry cooperation amid Canada's submarine bid

The government held an interagency meeting Tuesday to assess defense industry partnerships in North America and discuss efforts to help Korean defense companies expand their presence in the region, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

2026-04-21

Defense minister visits key defense manufacturer to assess Iran war's impact on arms industry

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back on Friday visited a key manufacturer of precision-guided missiles and other weapons to assess the impact of the war in the Middle East on the domestic arms industry, his office said.

2026-04-10

Defense minister clarifies comments on border troop reduction, emphasizes 'gradual' change

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said Thursday that his ministry plans to reduce the number of troops deployed to border units “gradually” by 2040, dismissing concerns about a sharp cut in such personnel in a short period of time.

2026-04-09

Defense Ministry to suspend budget of drone command over underperforming drones

The Ministry of National Defense said on Tuesday that it will tentatively suspend the Drone Operations Command's budget over a move to introduce more drones of the model that infiltrated North Korean airspace in 2024.

2026-03-03

Korea calls to ease tensions after U.S.-Israel attack on Iran, urges safety of nationals

The Korean government urged involved parties to work toward easing tensions after the United States and Israel launched a major attack on Iran Saturday, leading to a retaliatory strike by Tehran.

2026-03-01

Navy chief excluded from duty over alleged martial law involvement

The defense ministry said Friday it has excluded Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Kang Dong-gil from duty over his alleged involvement in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law bid in late 2024.

2026-02-13

Defense Ministry seeks legal framework for nuclear-powered submarines amid U.S. support

The Ministry of National Defense is pushing to propose a special law supporting the introduction of nuclear-powered submarines, sources said on Tuesday, as the United States has allowed Korea to secure fuel for nuclear-powered submarines.

2026-02-10

Defense Ministry launches investigative unit to probe martial law attempt in 2024

The Defense Ministry launched an investigative unit under the Criminal Investigation Command on Monday to look into military officials' involvement in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law bid in late 2024.

2026-02-09