South Korea to buy 48 patriot interceptor missiles
Dated 27/6/2006
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Seoul: South Korea plans to buy 48 Patriot interceptor missiles from Germany as part of a plan to upgrade its missile defences, officials said today.
South Korea has already notified Germany of its interest in buying the missiles, with the aim of replacing the country's outdated Nike-Hercules missiles by 2010, an official at the defence acquisition programme administration said.
The Nike-Hercules missiles have served as South Korea's main anti-aircraft weapons for some 40 years, but the patriot missiles are more advanced at intercepting and destroying incoming ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and enemy aircraft.
South Korea's military as yet has no Patriots, although some are already deployed on US air bases in the country, where about 29,500 US troops are stationed as a deterrent against Communist North Korea.
The two Koreas remain technically at war since the 1950-53 Korean war ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty.
The international community has recently voiced concerns about the North making moves that would enable it to launch a long-range missile. If it did so, however, that would likely not affect the threats already faced by the South, which is targeted by hundreds of short-range missiles and artillery from North Korea.
