to protect against attack by North Korea and they would be operational within two years.
The delivery is part of Seoul's plan to build its own defense system against North Korea's major missile capability.
"We have set 2010 as a target year for deploying Patriot missiles for operational use," defense ministry spokesman Won Tae-Jae told a briefing. "We are in the middle of taking them over."
He said the Patriots were being checked before deployment but refused to reveal how many had been delivered or when or where they would be deployed.
South Korea previously announced plans to buy 48 secondhand PAC-2 Patriot missiles from Germany starting this year.
The U.S., which bases 28,500 troops in South Korea, has upgraded its Patriot batteries there with advanced PAC-3 missiles to better protect its troops and bases.
The U.S. and its allies regard the North's missile development as a major threat to regional security, on top of its nuclear ambitions.
North Korea has deployed two types of Scud missile with a range of 300 to 500 kilometers (187 to 312 miles), as well as Rodongs, which have a range up to 1,300 kilometers.
It is developing longer-range Taepodong missiles that could theoretically reach Alaska.
Defence officials in Seoul believe the North has 300 to 500 Scuds or Rodongs.
The North alarmed the region by test-firing a Taepodong-1 in 1998 over Japan. It test-launched a Taepodong-2 in 2006 but failed.
The communist state is building a new launch site for long-range missiles on its west coast and reportedly carried out an engine ignition test for the Taepodong-2 there this year.
Army Gen. Walter Sharp, the U.S. troop commander in South Korea, said in April that the country was vulnerable to North Korean missile attacks and should develop a "systematic" missile defense system.
Despite being a longtime U.S. ally, South Korea has not joined the U.S. and Japan in efforts to develop joint missile defenses.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Patriot Missiles Delivered to S. Korea
Patriot Missiles Delivered to S. Korea
(NSI News Source info) SEOUL - September 18, 2008: South Korea said Sept. 17 that it has taken delivery of Patriot missiles to protect against attack by North Korea and they would be operational within two years.
The delivery is part of Seoul's plan to build its own defense system against North Korea's major missile capability.
"We have set 2010 as a target year for deploying Patriot missiles for operational use," defense ministry spokesman Won Tae-Jae told a briefing. "We are in the middle of taking them over."
He said the Patriots were being checked before deployment but refused to reveal how many had been delivered or when or where they would be deployed.
South Korea previously announced plans to buy 48 secondhand PAC-2 Patriot missiles from Germany starting this year.
The U.S., which bases 28,500 troops in South Korea, has upgraded its Patriot batteries there with advanced PAC-3 missiles to better protect its troops and bases.
The U.S. and its allies regard the North's missile development as a major threat to regional security, on top of its nuclear ambitions.
North Korea has deployed two types of Scud missile with a range of 300 to 500 kilometers (187 to 312 miles), as well as Rodongs, which have a range up to 1,300 kilometers.
It is developing longer-range Taepodong missiles that could theoretically reach Alaska.
Defence officials in Seoul believe the North has 300 to 500 Scuds or Rodongs.
The North alarmed the region by test-firing a Taepodong-1 in 1998 over Japan. It test-launched a Taepodong-2 in 2006 but failed.
The communist state is building a new launch site for long-range missiles on its west coast and reportedly carried out an engine ignition test for the Taepodong-2 there this year.
Army Gen. Walter Sharp, the U.S. troop commander in South Korea, said in April that the country was vulnerable to North Korean missile attacks and should develop a "systematic" missile defense system.
Despite being a longtime U.S. ally, South Korea has not joined the U.S. and Japan in efforts to develop joint missile defenses.
to protect against attack by North Korea and they would be operational within two years.
The delivery is part of Seoul's plan to build its own defense system against North Korea's major missile capability.
"We have set 2010 as a target year for deploying Patriot missiles for operational use," defense ministry spokesman Won Tae-Jae told a briefing. "We are in the middle of taking them over."
He said the Patriots were being checked before deployment but refused to reveal how many had been delivered or when or where they would be deployed.
South Korea previously announced plans to buy 48 secondhand PAC-2 Patriot missiles from Germany starting this year.
The U.S., which bases 28,500 troops in South Korea, has upgraded its Patriot batteries there with advanced PAC-3 missiles to better protect its troops and bases.
The U.S. and its allies regard the North's missile development as a major threat to regional security, on top of its nuclear ambitions.
North Korea has deployed two types of Scud missile with a range of 300 to 500 kilometers (187 to 312 miles), as well as Rodongs, which have a range up to 1,300 kilometers.
It is developing longer-range Taepodong missiles that could theoretically reach Alaska.
Defence officials in Seoul believe the North has 300 to 500 Scuds or Rodongs.
The North alarmed the region by test-firing a Taepodong-1 in 1998 over Japan. It test-launched a Taepodong-2 in 2006 but failed.
The communist state is building a new launch site for long-range missiles on its west coast and reportedly carried out an engine ignition test for the Taepodong-2 there this year.
Army Gen. Walter Sharp, the U.S. troop commander in South Korea, said in April that the country was vulnerable to North Korean missile attacks and should develop a "systematic" missile defense system.
Despite being a longtime U.S. ally, South Korea has not joined the U.S. and Japan in efforts to develop joint missile defenses.
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