to the teeth with nuclear weapons and long range missiles and guns, but you also have china looming in the background, and the us is becoming weaker as we speak. so, even though the americans are our closest ally, we really have to spend much more money and attention on defence. what are we going to do now? another roll. 0k, 0k, 0k. the country has sought to pirouette between the world s great powers. it lies so close to china yet relies on the us to shield it from any potential war. president donald trump described that as freeloading , and it s made some in seoul question the strength of the alliance. so, we will continue to work very closely with our american allies, but we also want to leave room for more autonomous, self reliant defence. you want me to do a turn? the major even lets me fly the t 50 jet. are you ready?
defence budgets to new highs in the last four years, spending an extra $90 million a year on new technology. in 2021 it fired new missiles and even launched its own space programme. the country currently relies on the us for its defence, but it appears seoul is keen to try to stand on its own two feet. our correspondent laura bicker has had exclusive access to south korean air force training. three, two, one. i am trying to pass a g force test. one, two, three. oh, my god. ..and, well, it s not easy. i m here training with the air force to find out more about south korea s aim to be a military powerhouse. but before i can fly, i have to stay conscious. keep going, keep going, keep going! ok, good. wow! wonderful. great, great! south korea has shown off its biggest military advancements yet in 2021.
yeah. ok, make a right turn. south korea s feeling it s only too, slowly taking control over the future of its forces. and despite assurances from washington that the alliance does remain strong, the country is showing no signs of turning back. laura bicker, bbc news, seoul. after months of negotiations, david bowie s estate has to sold the singer s mcintyre catalogue of songs to the one music group. # there is a star man waiting in the sky # he d like to come and meet us, but he thinks he had below our minds. just one among hundreds, the amount paid, welcome and it hasn t been disclosed. it is reported to be more than $250 million. in all, david bowie released more than 111 singles, averaging something like two per year through the course of his career. i ve got more about that on the website at bbc news
it fired an array of new missiles and launched its first rocket into space. the country is also one of only five in the world to train its own pilots on home grownjets, but what s it like to fly in one? i don t know how i feel! want my mammy! ijust need to breathe, right? as we do loops in the sky, i hear that, from here, south korea can monitor movements in the north. that the country is now spending on defence perhaps shouldn t come as a surprise, because they re still officially at war with north korea. here, in the skies over the country, there have also been increasing air incursions from russia and from china. we face probably the most existential security threat. as you know, 68km from seoul, you have north korea armed
because of these allegations, but the organisers will hope that once they sport starts, that it will take over, and they can still host successful games. stephen mcdonell there for us. south korea has pushed its defence budgets to new highs in the last four years, spending an extra $90 million a year on new technology. in 2021, it fired new missiles and even launched its own space programme. the country currently relies on the united states for its defence, but it appears seoul is keen to try to stand on its own two feet. our correspondent laura bicker has had exclusive access to south korean air force training. three, two, one. i am trying to pass a g force test. one, two, three. oh, my god. ..and, well, it s not easy. i m here training with