US to allow South Korea to have longer-range missiles

The United States has agreed to allow South Korea to develop longer-range missiles that could strike all of North Korea, South Korean officials said today.

Under a 2001 accord with Washington, Seoul has been barred from developing and deploying ballistic missiles with a range of more than 300 kilometers (186 miles) due to concerns of a regional arms race.

As a result, some North Korean military facilities have been out of South Korea's missile range.

South Korea's presidential Blue House said South Korea and the US have revised the accord to allow Seoul to have missiles with a range of up to 800 kilometers (500 miles) to better cope with North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.

North Korea has missiles that can hit South Korea, Japan and the US Pacific territory of Guam.

AP