Latest news with #MinistryofNationalDefense
Korea Herald
a day ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Lee honors 'extraordinary' sacrifices in lunch meeting with bereaved families at Cheong Wa Dae
President Lee Jae Myung on Friday invited family members of those who made "extraordinary" sacrifices for the country throughout its decades of modern history, at a lunch held in Cheong Wa Dae, former presidential compound in Seoul. Reiterating a need for "extraordinary rewards and respect for extraordinary sacrifices," albeit not elaborating what that would be, the president said a proper compensation for sacrifice will encourage people to be willing to make their own sacrifices when the country is in danger. "No matter whether it was an independence movement (against Japan's colonial rule), the Korean War or a battle in a foreign country due to the country's troop dispatch, anyone who sacrificed for South Korean citizens' better quality of life and safety ... must be rewarded with special attention and care from the community," Lee said at the event at the state guest house inside Cheong Wa Dae. Before some 160 participants in the event, Lee said those who made such sacrifices deserve a greater level of compensation and respect than what they are now. "Unfortunately, South Korea's modern history suggests that the country has insufficiently treated those who sacrificed for the people of the country," Lee told participants. "It's often said that the poverty of a freedom fighter's family will pass three generations, and the wealth of a pro-Japanese collaborator's family will last for three generations. This should not happen again," Lee added. Among the participants were families of independence fighters during Japan's colonial rule, the Korean War, a democratic movement in 1960, soldiers dispatched to the Vietnam War, the Gwangju uprising in 1980 and, most recently, a battle in the West Sea in early 2000s. Attending the event were Lee Chun-ja, a veteran who fought against communist forces during the Korean War, parents of the soldiers who perished due to North Korea's attack against South Korean forces on the West Sea border zone. Also at the event was Kim Gil-ja, mother of late Moon Jae-hak who was an inspiration for a character in Nobel literature laureate Han Kang's novel "Human Acts." Moon was a 17-year-old high school student when he was killed during the Gwangju Uprising in 1980. Lee was accompanied by his wife Kim Hea Kyung at the event. Friday's event was the first occasion Lee officially visited Cheong Wa Dae, as the Lee administration is working to relocate his office in Yongsan-gu, Seoul near the Ministry of National Defense headquarters back to where it used to be.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Indian, Chinese defence minister meet for first time since Ladakh deal
New Delhi: Defence minister Rajnath Singh met his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun at the sidelines of the SCO summit in Qingdao, marking the first interaction between the two leaders since an agreement to resolve border disputes in Ladakh was signed. Chinese media reports quoting China's Ministry of National Defense said that Singh called India and China as neighbours that cannot be separated. The reports also quoted him saying that India wants to "properly manage differences, enhance communication and mutual trust and promote steady development of bilateral relations ". There was no Indian statement on the talks at the time of going to press. Singh also met Russian defence minister Andrey Belousov in Qingdao. The two leaders discussed bilateral ties and took stock of ongoing procurements and partnership proposals. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trending in in 2025: Local network access control [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo
El Chorouk
4 days ago
- Business
- El Chorouk
These Are President Tebboune's Messages To Productive Economic Institutions.
The President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, affirmed on Monday in Algiers the importance of continuing to enhance the competitiveness of national products and working to ensure self-sufficiency and promote exports, especially in the industrial sector, which has witnessed remarkable development in recent years. During his inauguration of the 56th edition of the Algiers International Fair, where he visited the pavilions of many national, public, and private institutions, the President of the Republic urged economic operators to 'raise the bar of ambition' in investment and continue working to increase competitiveness and improve the quality of national products. The President of the Republic praised the progress made by many sectors, especially mechanical industries, military industries, and textiles, emphasizing the need to work on strengthening export capabilities in parallel with contributing to reducing imports. The President of the Republic stopped over for a long time at the military industries pavilion, where he listened to detailed explanations about the activities of a number of institutions operating in the field of communications, military installations, and weapons manufacturing, especially the Directorate of Military Industries, the Mechanical Construction Company in Khenchela, and the Central Company for the Renewal of Signal Equipment. The President of the Republic also expressed his admiration for the level of achievements made by these institutions, especially in the field of optical fibers, the manufacturing and maintenance of signal equipment, and the manufacturing of explosives, and at the National Institute for Cartography and Remote Sensing affiliated with the Ministry of National Defense. Also at the Ministry of National Defense pavilion, the President of the Republic ordered the Minister of National Education to involve national institutions, including those affiliated with the National People's Army, in implementing the project of supplying educational institutions with electronic tablets. He also stressed the need for the contribution of both the institutions affiliated with the National People's Army and the National Electronic Industries Company 'ENIE', as well as private institutions, to the project supervised by the Ministry of Education, which is concerned with providing students with electronic tablets, calling for 'covering at least 50 to 60 percent' of the needs of educational institutions for computer equipment with local products. On this occasion, the President of the Republic highlighted the contribution of the military establishment to supporting the national economy with various products, which would reduce the import bill, especially for optical fibers. The President of the Republic affirmed in this regard that the import of optical fibers will be prohibited unless approved by the Ministry of National Defense, with the imminent launch of a special optical fiber unit affiliated with the same ministry. Upon stopping at the pavilion of two emerging companies, the President of the Republic praised the significant progress made by the country in this field, reiterating that efforts are continuing to 'reach the first or second rank in Africa for the national economy.' The President of the Republic also visited the pavilion of the 'GETEX' Textile and Leather Industry Group, where he listened to a presentation on the group's performance, which has witnessed a qualitative leap in recent years in terms of diversifying production, improving quality, and developing and modernizing distribution methods in partnership with emerging companies active in e-commerce. Still in the industrial field, and during his visit to the VMS company pavilion, which specializes in motorcycles and light vehicles, the President of the Republic urged economic operators to raise their ambition to invest more and contribute to creating added value and job opportunities. Here, he saluted the company's officials for the successes they have achieved by diversifying their products, such as motorcycles and light transport vehicles aimed at young investors, and used in trade, services, and by artisans. In the same pavilion, the President of the Republic ordered the Director General of the Algerian Investment Promotion Agency to facilitate the implementation of an investment project for the institution 'before the end of this month.' The project involves the construction of an industrial complex for various types of bicycles in the wilaya of Bouira. As for the 'Hassnaoui Group' pavilion, the President of the Republic emphasized the importance of the projects undertaken by this private group, especially in the agricultural sector, through seed production, which, according to the explanations provided, will allow for a reduction in the cost of these inputs for farmers, contributing to reducing imports and enhancing the country's self-sufficiency. After that, the President of the Republic stopped for a long time at the pavilion of the Algerian General Mechanical Company (AGM) – Sidi Bel Abbes unit, where he received a detailed explanation about the activities carried out by this institution specializing in the production of public works and construction equipment, as well as agriculture, in addition to its production capacities. In this pavilion, the President of the Republic stressed the need to 'meet national needs and then move towards export.'To achieve this goal, the President of the Republic called on officials of this institution to approve the implementation of a full-time work system (24 hours/24). This year's exhibition, held under the slogan 'For Joint and Sustainable Cooperation,' features 684 exhibitors, including 145 foreign institutions representing 31 countries from the five continents.
The Star
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung unveils 11 new ministers as Cabinet takes shape
SEOUL: President Lee Jae Myung on Monday (June 23) nominated 11 ministers for Cabinet posts, including South Korea's first civilian chief of the Ministry of National Defense in more than six decades, while the incumbent agriculture minister from the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration will remain in her post. Among the nominees are five lawmakers of the National Assembly — all members of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea — while three have experience working at South Korea's business conglomerates. Lee's Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik told reporters Monday that these nominees are clearly tasked with big missions, such as diplomacy seeking national interest, detente on the Korean Peninsula, military reform, tackling climate change, and the discovery of an Arctic sea route, among others. Kang also said that, quoting Lee, the confirmation hearing process should proceed quickly so that the newly-formed Cabinet can respond swiftly to various crises such as the Middle East conflict. Lee, later on Monday, stressed a need for all ministries to formulate an "emergency response system" in the face of the Middle East crisis, as he presided over a meeting with his aides. According to the presidential office, five-term lawmaker Rep. Ahn Gyu-back, who is a career politician, was nominated for the post of defence minister. If Ahn's nomination is approved by parliament, Ahn will become the first civilian defence minister since the military coup of 1961. Kang said Ahn spent most of his career at the National Assembly's National Defense Committee, and therefore "has a deep understanding of South Korea's military," adding he is the right fit to "spearhead the changes in the military forces" mobilised in the previous administration's self-coup attempt. Alongside Ahn, five-term lawmaker Rep. Chung Dong-young, who served as unification minister under the Roh Moo-hyun administration 21 years ago, was nominated for the post again. In addition, Cho Hyun, former permanent representative of South Korea to the United Nations, was tapped as minister of foreign affairs, while Kim Young-hoon, former president of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and an active train conductor, was nominated for labor minister. Three-term lawmaker Rep. Kim Sung-whan was selected to head the Environment Ministry, while fellow three-term lawmaker Rep. Chun Jae-soo was nominated as minister of oceans. Two-term lawmaker Rep. Kang Sun-woo was picked to lead the Gender Equality Ministry, whose role Lee pledged during his campaign to expand in order to promote equal opportunities. Lee's proposed Cabinet also includes those with experience in the private sector. Bae Kyung-hoon, chief of LG AI Research, was nominated for the science minister. Han Seong-sook, former chief executive officer of internet giant Naver, was picked as minister of SMEs and startups; and Yoon Chang-yul, head of the LG Global Strategy Center and a former career civil servant, was tapped as the minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination. In some of the presidential nominations, Lee prioritized national unity, according to Kang, as sitting Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung will remain in her post, and former conservative lawmaker Kwon Oh-eul, who joined Lee's campaign team before the election, was tapped to lead the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs. It was the first batch of ministerial-level nominations since Lee took office on June 4, immediately after the presidential election. Lee's first Cabinet pick -- Rep. Kim Min-seok as prime minister -- awaits a confirmation hearing later this week. All nominees, except for Agriculture Minister Song and the minister of government policy coordination, must go through a confirmation hearing in parliament, a majority of whose seats are held by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea. Monday's nominations leave three Cabinet posts — finance, justice and interior — still vacant, while the fate of five ministers appointed under former President Yoon, including former acting President and Deputy Prime Minister Lee Ju-ho, remains undecided. Since Lee's inauguration in early June, he has worked with Cabinet ministers under the Yoon administration, though they all offered to resign. - The Korea Herald/ANN
Miami Herald
10-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
NATO Ally Scraps Purchase of US Black Hawk Helicopters
Poland has scrapped plans to buy more S-70i Black Hawk helicopters as Warsaw rethinks its strategy for fighting a battle-hardened Russia pouring massive investment into its military. Poland has become a military powerhouse, leading the NATO alliance on defense spending. The country, which is situated on NATO's eastern flank, has felt the reverberations of more than three years of war in Ukraine, repeatedly scrambling fighter jets in response to intensive Russian airstrikes on parts of western Ukraine. Warsaw has been one of Kyiv's most strident supporters. NATO officials, particularly those from country's forming NATO's eastern edge, have increasingly warned Moscow could mount an attack against the alliance in the coming years, particularly if the U.S. succeeds in brokering a ceasefire in Ukraine. The Polish military changed its "priorities" for its upcoming purchases after "intensive" analysis, said General Wiesław Kukuła, the Chief of the General Staff for the Polish armed forces. "The aim of these changes is to better adapt to the challenges of the future battlefield," Kukuła told reporters on Friday. Warsaw will prioritize training and combat helicopters, as well as multi-use helicopters able to land on ships, heavy transport helicopters for the country's land forces and search and rescue aircraft, Kukuła added. Poland may look at buying other equipment, like drones or tanks, rather than the S-70i multirole helicopter, Grzegorz Polak, a spokesperson for the Polish Armament Agency, told Reuters. The war in Ukraine has spurred on drone advancement at astonishing speeds, while both sides have still relied heavily on the use of tanks and armored vehicles. Poland's previous government said in mid-2023 it was starting the process to buy more Black Hawk helicopters from PZL Mielec, a Polish branch of Lockheed Martin. Secretary of State for Poland's Ministry of National Defense Paweł Bejda said reports that a contract for the Black Hawk helicopters had been "canceled" were false, but the country's Armament Agency had decided to "terminate the procurement process." Kukuła pointed on Friday to the Polish purchase of 32 next-generation F-35 fighter jets and tens of advanced Apache helicopters that would soon "land on Polish soil" as part of preparations for the "future battlefield." Paweł Bejda, Secretary of State for Poland's Ministry of National Defense, said during a press conference on Friday: "The geopolitical situation, the situation in the east—the war in Ukraine, what Russia is currently buying, equipping its army—and everything that our air forces are carrying out during tasks connected to the NATO system, is being analyzed." Brigadier General Artur Kuptel, the head of Poland's Armaments Agency, told the media: "The priorities we have heard about today will give light for the coming days, for the coming months, in terms of the directions of activities in the area of helicopter aviation." Poland ordered nearly 100 AH-64E advanced Apache helicopters from Boeing in mid-2024, which the aerospace giant said would "strengthen Poland's operational capability and interoperability with the U.S., NATO and allied nations." Warsaw is expected to receive its first F-35 fifth-generation fighter jets from the U.S. next year. Related Articles Poland Election: Ukraine Skeptic Candidate Swings Surprise VictoryDonald Trump-Backed Candidate Wins Poland's Presidential ElectionMap Shows Countries in Europe Easiest for Americans to Get Dual CitizenshipNATO Scrambles Fighter Jets After Long-Range Russian Missile Strikes 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
