South Korea’s most venerable veteran of the Korean War has died, according to local news sources. General Paik Sun-Yup, a legendary soldier who would become South Korea’s first four-star general, was known as Korea’s “top communist killer” and was respected by Koreans and Americans alike. A native of what... Read more
The Long History of Korea’s Missile Program
WIB historyWIB land December 22, 2017
It’s said history doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes. In the late 14th century, Korea’s ruling Joseon dynasty began an all-out espionage campaign to acquire classified missile technology from neighboring China. At the time, stateless wokou “dwarf pirates”—so called because of their comparatively shorter stature—were ravaging the Korean... Read more
South Korea Deploys Its Own Missile Shield
WIB politics October 12, 2017
In the spring of 2017, the United States began deploying Terminal High Altitude Air Defense missile batteries to South Korea. The expensive THAAD system is designed to shoot-down ballistic missiles on their terminal trajectory as they plunge down their targets. While North Korea will likely soon possess missiles that... Read more
How North Korea Tried to Wipe Out South Korea’s Government
WIB history September 25, 2017
It is 10:00 a.m. on Oct. 9, 1983. South Korea’s President Chun Doo Hwan is in the capital of Burma on a state visit. It is no secret his military government is struggling. The Republic of Korea may be growing more prosperous year after year, but its citizens grow... Read more
The South Korean army has peculiar needs. For one, just across the Demilitarized Zone, North Korea possesses one of the largest tank armies in the world. In this cauldron of densely packed military forces, both sides share a peninsula that is also very mountainous. During the Korean War, many battles... Read more