Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Further Reading

• Deployment of further THAAD launchers can be re-considered: S. Korean defense chief People's Daily 31 Jul 2017 -- South Korea's defense chief said Monday that the decision to "temporarily" deploy four more mobile launchers of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system can be re-considered if people feel anxious about it.
• US Ready to Move Additional THAAD Systems to South Korea as Quickly as Possible Sputnik 31 Jul 2017 -- The Pentagon has said it is "certainly ready" to move additional pieces of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) to South Korea as "quickly as they can."
• S Korea in Talks With US About Resuming THAAD Deployment – Defense Ministry Sputnik 31 Jul 2017 -- According to the Ministry of National Defense, Seoul and Washington have begun consultations on the matter of resuming the deployment of the THAAD system.
• US military launches new $11bn S. Korea base, will house 45K Press TV 30 Jul 2017 -- The US military has inaugurated an $11 billion base in South Korea, boasting it as an small American city serving as new headquarters that no longer lies within the range of North Korean artillery fire, and expected to house over 45,000 service members, contractors and their dependents.
• China urges ROK, U.S. to stop THAAD deployment People's Daily 29 Jul 2017 -- China on Saturday strongly urged the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the United States to respect China's concerns and stop the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system.
• S. Korea to consult with U.S. on revised guideline to increase payload of indigenous missile People's Daily 29 Jul 2017 -- South Korea's presidential Blue House said Saturday that the country would consult with the United Stateson the revision of the bilateral missile guideline to increase the payload of the indigenous ballistic missiles.
• South Korea Leader Mulls Unilateral Sanctions on North After Missile Test Sputnik 29 Jul 2017 -- Moon Jae-in ordered state ministries to consider slapping Pyongyang with unilateral sanctions.
• US, S Korea conducting live-fire exercise in response to N Korea: Official Press TV 28 Jul 2017 -- The United States and South Korea are conducting a military exercise in response to North Korea's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Pentagon says.
• Additional THAAD Missile Launchers to Be Deployed at US Base in South Korea Sputnik 28 Jul 2017 -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in has announced that a new set of missile interception launch platforms will be deployed at a US military base in South Korea, according to public news outlet Yonhap.
• 'Stop Immediately': China Reiterates Protest to US THAAD System in South Korea Sputnik 28 Jul 2017 -- China reaffirms its strong objections to US plans on deploying a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system in South Korea, as it may threaten China's national security, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Lu Kang said Friday.
• S Korea to Conduct New Environmental Survey of THAAD Deployment Site Sputnik 28 Jul 2017 -- The South Korean government is planning to carry out an additional, and more extensive survey of possible environmental impacts the deployment of the THAAD missile defense system will have on the Seongju area, the South Korean Defense Ministry said Friday.
• With Washington's Blessing, Seoul to Mount 1-Ton Warhead on Ballistic Missile Sputnik 25 Jul 2017 -- Seeking to increase the chances of taking out North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in the event of war, South Korea wants to boost its 500-mile range ballistic missile warhead from 1100 pounds to one ton.
• South Korea Launches Corruption Investigation Into F-35, KF-X Deals Sputnik 25 Jul 2017 -- South Korean officials have opened an investigation into defense acquisition contracts for F-35 and KF-X aircraft pushed for by former President Park Geun-hye, who was sentenced to prison in March for abusing the power of her office, bribery, coercion and leaking classified information.
• North Korea Says South Will Pay 'Harshest' Price for Challenging Missile Tests Sputnik 22 Jul 2017 -- South Korea will pay a harsh price for condemning the North's most recent intercontinental ballistic missile test, Pyongyang mouthpiece Rodong Sinmun warned Saturday.
• S. Korea cancels plan to measure THAAD's radar wave emission amid opposition People's Daily 21 Jul 2017 -- South Korea's defense ministry on Friday canceled plan to measure electromagnetic waves, emitted from the radar of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system deployed in the country's southeast region.
• North Korea snubs South's call for military talks Press TV 21 Jul 2017 -- South Korean-proposed military talks with North Korea have failed to materialize as Pyongyang made no reaction to the offer, which had been made with a purpose to ease tensions.
• North Korea Snubs South Korean Outreach VOA 21 Jul 2017 -- North Korea has so far not responded to a South Korean offer made earlier this week to engage in military talks.
• UN chief welcomes Seoul's proposal to reopen dialogue with Pyongyang UN News 19 Jul 2017 -- Secretary-General António Guterres today welcomed the move by the Republic of Korea to lower tensions on the Korean Peninsula, his spokesperson said.
• S Korean Leader Intends to Increase Defense Spending Sputnik 18 Jul 2017 -- President of South Korea Moon Jae-in has indicated his intent to increase the country's defense budget from 2.4 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) to 2.9 percent during his five-year presidential term, local media reported Tuesday.
• S Korea offers rare talks with North on tensions, family reunions Press TV 17 Jul 2017 -- South Korea has proposed to hold military talks with the North this week in an effort to end animosities along their tense border, in what could mark the first official inter-Korean negotiations since late 2015.
• South Korea Proposes Military Talks With North For First Time Since 2015 RFE/RL 17 Jul 2017 -- South Korea on July 17 proposed holding military talks with rival North Korea and a halt to hostile activities near their tense border.
• Seoul Ready for Dialogue With Pyongyang Depending on N Korea's Denuclearization Sputnik 17 Jul 2017 -- Seoul is ready to fully launch the dialogue with Pyongyang, but depending on what position North Korea would have on the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon said Monday.
• South Korea Proposes Military Talks with North Korea This Month Sputnik 17 Jul 2017 -- South Korea has proposed holding military talks with its northern neighbor, the first such talks since 2014.
• South Korea Proposes Military Talks With North VOA 17 Jul 2017 -- South Korea proposed military talks and family reunions with North Korea on Monday to reduce the increasing potential for conflict over Pyongyang's continued development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.
• Song Young-moo takes office as new defense minister, vows military reform Arirang 14 Jul 2017 -- Song Young-moo is now the 45th defense minister of South Korea, and as minister he emphasized the importance of reform and vowed to revitalize the South Korean military.
• Thailand Approves $257 Million Plan for 8 More South Korean Jets Sputnik 12 Jul 2017 -- Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha said Tuesday that Bangkok has approved a plan to buy eight additional South Korea-made T-50 trainer jets.
• DPRK accuses U.S., South Korea of intensifying war preparations People's Daily 11 Jul 2017 -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Tuesday accused the United States and South Korea of intensifying war preparations after it launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) earlier this month.
• S. Korean spy agency sees DPRK's test of ballistic missile with ICBM range People's Daily 11 Jul 2017 -- South Korea's spy agency said Tuesday that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) had tested a ballistic missile with a range of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) earlier this month.
• North Korea unlikely to have attained ICBM tech: S Korean spy agency Press TV 11 Jul 2017 -- South Korean National Intelligence Service (NIS) says it is unlikely that North Korea has yet achieved the necessary technology to build intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), as Pyongyang celebrates the "successful launch" of the country's first such missile a week earlier.
• S Korean Intel Doubts North's ICBM Technology Capabilities After Latest Test Sputnik 11 Jul 2017 -- North Korea is unlikely to possess intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) re-entry technologies needed for a fully functional missile despite the recent ICBM test, Yonhap news agency reported Tuesday, citing South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS).
• South Korea Disputes North's Claim of Long-Range Missile Test VOA 11 Jul 2017 -- South Korea's intelligence agency is casting doubt on North Korea's boasts that it carried out a test launch of its first intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM, according to a South Korean lawmaker.
• New submarine delivered to S Korea Navy amid tensions with North Press TV 10 Jul 2017 -- South Korea's Navy is in possession of a new advanced 1,800-tonne submarine which it hopes will improve its underwater prowess against its northern neighbor amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
• South Korea Receives New Submarine Amid Escalating Tensions With Pyongyang Sputnik 10 Jul 2017 -- South Korean Navy receives new advanced 1,800-tonne submarine to increase its underwater warfare capability against the North Korea amid escalating tensions in the region, local media reported Monday.
• U.S. B-1B Bomber Flights Demonstrate Commitment to South Korea AFPS 08 Jul 2017 -- As part of the continuing demonstration of the U.S. commitment to its allies against the growing threat from North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear programs, two U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, conducted a 10-hour sequenced bilateral mission yesterday with South Korean and Japanese fighter jets.
• US Bombers Hold Live-Fire Drills Near North Korea VOA 08 Jul 2017 -- U.S. bombers, jointly with South Korean forces, have conducted rare, live-fire drills near the border with North Korea, according to the South Korean military.
• U.S. Bombers Conduct Live-Fire Drill Near North Korean Border RFE/RL 08 Jul 2017 -- Two U.S. Air Force bombers have conducted a rare live-fire drill in South Korea and flown close to the heavily militarized border with North Korea -- a show of force following North Korea's test-launch of a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
• President Moon says 'dialog' best option for Korean crisis Press TV 07 Jul 2017 -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in has said Seoul preferred to resolve the Korean crisis through dialog.
• US, South Korea, Japan Call for Stiffer Sanctions Against North Korea VOA 07 Jul 2017 -- Leaders from the United States, South Korea and Japan agreed Friday to urge the United Nations to speed up the implementation of sanctions against North Korea following the country's July 4 intercontinental missile launch.
• US to Continue THAAD Deployment in S. Korea Despite Russia, China Opposition Sputnik 07 Jul 2017 -- The United States will continue to deploy its THAAD missile defense systems in South Korea despite recent opposition from Moscow and Beijing, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a press conference on Thursday.
• South Korea's Moon Says Ready to Meet North's Kim Under 'Right Conditions' Sputnik 06 Jul 2017 -- According to media reports, South Korean President ready to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
• U.S., South Korea stage joint missile drill after DPRK tests ICBM People's Daily 05 Jul 2017 -- The United States and South Korea have staged a missile drill by firing missiles into the Sea of Japan, in response to the latest missile launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
• US, South Korea conduct missile drill in response to North's ICBM test Press TV 05 Jul 2017 -- The United States and South Korea have fired surface-to-surface missiles in reaction to North Korea's recent test-launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
• South Korea Skeptical of Pyongyang's Success in ICBM Development - Ministry Sputnik 05 Jul 2017 -- The South Korean Defense Ministry said Wednesday that it is not sure whether Pyongyang has in fact achieved success in the development of the intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) as there is no proof that North Korea's missile returned to the atmosphere after the latest launch.
• Xi, Putin oppose THAAD deployment in South Korea People's Daily 04 Jul 2017 -- Visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, met in Moscow on Monday and agreed to further cement bilateral ties and strengthen coordination on the Korean Peninsula and other major issues.
• S.Korean president hopes DPRK would not cross bridge of no return People's Daily 04 Jul 2017 -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday expressed his hope that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) would not cross a bridge that it cannot return following the DPRK's test of a new type of ballistic missile.
• THAAD jeopardizes regional strategic balance: Xi People's Daily 03 Jul 2017 -- The U.S. deployment of an advanced anti-missile system in South Korea gravely harms the strategic security interests of China, Russia and other countries in the region, Chinese President Xi Jinping has said.
• Trump declares 'patience is over' with DPRK People's Daily 01 Jul 2017 -- US President Donald Trump declared on Friday that the US had run out of patience with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) over its nuclear drive, as he welcomed South Korea's new leader Moon Jae-in to talks at the White House.