Micah McCartney is a reporter for Newsweek based in Taipei, Taiwan. He covers U.S.-China relations, East Asian and Southeast Asian ... Read more

North Korea has conducted artillery firing drills to bolster its combat readiness posture, the North's state media reported on Tuesday, as South Korea and the United States prepare to kick off

South Korea's military has shrunk to about 450,000 people - a decline of 20% over the last six years, according to a defense ministry report released on Sunday. Authorities say the main reason behind the decline is the country's dismal birth rate, which at 0.75 babies per woman is the world's lowest.