Seoul to equip ships to intercept N.Korea missiles
South Korea plans to buy new US weaponry capable of intercepting
North Korean ballistic missiles for its Aegis-equipped destroyers,
Yonhap news agency reported Sunday.
The United States has agreed to supply South Korea with SM-6
ship-to-air missiles with a range of up to 400 kilometres (250 miles),
Yonhap said quoting an unnamed military source.
The SM-6 system is an advanced type of the shorter-range SM-2 now
used for Seoul’s only Aegis destroyer in place since last year.
“We plan to equip the King Sejong, an Aegis destroyer launched last
year, and two more Aegis destroyers, soon to be built, with SM-6
missiles that can intercept North Korean ballistic missiles,” the source
said.
The US-developed Aegis combat system has cutting-edge radar and can
launch missiles at more than 10 targets at one time.
South Korea’s navy last year announced plans to launch a second Aegis
destroyer in 2010 and a third in 2012.
But the source stressed the planned purchase was Seoul’s
“independent” decision and had nothing to do with the US-led missile
defence scheme.
Japan has joined the US-led missile shield against possible attacks
from North Korea, which test-fired a long-range ballistic missile over
Japan and into the Pacific in 1998.
But South Korea has not participated in the US-led scheme, citing
cost and efficiency, and North Korea has opposed it. China and Russia
are also critical. Seoul, Sunday, AFP
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