U.S. general urges S. Korea to bolster air force modernization

SEOUL, June 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea needs to modernize its air force to
improve its precision bombing ability and reduce the risk of destruction by North
Korea in its urban areas, the top U.S. air force officer here said Wednesday.

Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Remington, who heads the 7th Air Force that operates about 80
aircraft here, also said North Korea has a "robust integrated air defense
capability."
"We need an electronic warfare training range to prepare our pilots for North
Korea's robust integrated air defense capability," Remington said in a speech at
a South Korean Air Force convention.
South Korea's Air Force (ROKAF) "has an extremely limited night and all-weather
capability," he said. "The aging fleet of aircraft must be replaced with newer
jets capable of carrying precision guided munitions."
"Force modernization has to be a priority for the ROKAF in order to be able to
lead the air component," Remington said. "Effective training now will mean a
minimized threat of death and destruction in the greater Seoul metropolitan area
later."
samkim@yna.co.kr
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