S Korea to buy US missiles

The new missiles are a big move up for South Korea

By the BBC's Caroline Gluck in Seoul

South Korea's defence ministry says it will purchase 111 new surface-to-surface missiles from the United States over the next two years in a contract worth more than $800m.

The new system will put most of North Korea within range.

The deal was signed with the US manufacturer Lockheed Martin last month, and announced on Friday.

It will be the first time the military will be able to deploy 300-kilometre (190 miles) long-range missiles.

Defence targets

Until last year, under an accord with its key military ally - the US - South Korea was barred from developing or deploying missiles with the range of more than 180km.

The new system - known as the Army Tactical Missile System (TACMS) Block 1A - will mean a significant upgrade for South Korea's army missile system.

Defence officials said the new missiles, which will be fully deployed by 2004, would be more capable of targeting tactical missile sites, air bases and command posts in North Korea.

It is more than half a century since the two countries went to war, but they never signed a permanent peace treaty.

South Korea has lagged far behind in missile development compared to its military rival North Korea. In 1998, the North stunned the world when it tested the Taepodong missile, which flew over Japan into the Pacific Ocean.