Gov`t to unveil missile development policy Wednesday

In line with the outcome of negotiations with the United States, the government will make public Wednesday a policy declaration that Korea plans to develop, produce and deploy for military use missiles with a range of up to 300 kilometers and warheads of up to 500 kilograms. In the same declaration, the government will disclose a plan to start research on missiles for military use with a range of more than 300 kilometers.

Related government officials said the missile policy was worked out in the interests of national security, in consideration of security and peace in the region and in line with global missile non-proliferation policies. Korea will also join the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) in the near future, they added.

The government also will make it clear in the declaration that it would not accept limits on the weight of satellites for civil use, limits on the range of cruise missiles or restrictions on the development of pilotless reconnaissance planes.

Following the release of the declaration, the government plans to give notification to the United States in the form of self-regulated document signed by an official with a rank higher than bureau director.