한덕수주미대사, '미국무기 더 사겠다' 확약 - 2011회계연도 크게 늘듯 : 로이터서밋서 밝혀

 

2001-2008 미국 무기 전세계 판매현황 CRS 원문 20091202 http://andocu.tistory.com/681
한국 지난해 14억달러 무기수입 세계3위 : 미의회보고서 CRS 20100910 http://andocu.tistory.com/2893

'리제트 리, 나는 이병철회장 손녀 지영 - 삼성 부인할 줄 알았다' - 리제트 리 변호사 현지확인 http://andocu.tistory.com/2950

한덕수 주미대사가 미국산 무기구매를 더 늘릴 것이라고 밝혔다고 로이터통신이 보도했습니다

로이터통신은 한덕수대사가 한국이 북한의 도발을 막고 한국군 전력강화를 위해 미국산 무기구매를 더
늘릴 것이라고 밝혔다고 미동부시각 지난 22일 보도했습니다

한덕수대사는 미국은 한국을 미국최고의 군사동맹국의 하나로 인식하고 있기 때문에 미국의 첨단무기를
더 많이 구매할 수 있도록 허용해 줄 것이라고 덧붙였습니다

한덕수대사는 지난 20일부터 22일까지 열린 로이터스 워싱턴 서밋[Reuters Washington Summit] 에서 이같은
발언을 했다고 로이터는 설명했습니다

한대사는 또 '한미연합군의 억지력을 어떻게 강화하는가 하는 것은 사활이 걸린 이슈'라며 '이같은 노력의 일환으로
더 많은 투자를 할 것이 분명하다' 고 말했으며 '결과적으로 오는 10월1일부터 시작되는 2011회계연도에 미국의
대한국 무기판매가 늘어날 것으로 보인다'고 언급했습니다

로이터통신에 따르면 지난 2010회계연도 한국의 미국무기 구매액은 9억3천9백만달러로 지난 2009회계연도 구매액
8억1천9백만달러보다 1억2천만달러정도 늘었습니다

한편 미국무기판매 보고서[U.S. Arms Sales: Agreements with and Deliveries to Major Clients, 2001-2008]에
따르면 지난 2008회계연도 한국의 미국무기구매계약액은 12억달러로 조사됐습니다 [2001-2008 미국 무기 전세계 판매현황 CRS 원문 20091202 http://andocu.tistory.com/681]
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South Korea to buy more U.S. weapons to counter North
By Andrea Shalal-Esa WASHINGTON | Tue Sep 21, 2010 9:52pm BST

로이터기사 직접 보기 http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE68K4ON20100921

(Reuters) - South Korea will buy more U.S. weapons to strengthen its military and try to deter North Korean provocation, Seoul's ambassador to the United States said on Tuesday.

Ambassador Han Duk-soo said the U.S. government regarded South Korea as one of its highest-ranking military allies -- on a par with NATO -- which would allow Seoul to buy more advanced military equipment from the United States.

North Korea's sinking of a South Korean warship in March underscored the need to bolster South Korea's military, Han told the Reuters Washington Summit.

"Certainly there will be more investment in those kinds of endeavors," Han said. "The issue was very crucial how to strengthen the deterrent power of our combined forces."

As a result, U.S. arms sales to South Korea are likely to rise in the 2011 fiscal year, beginning on October 1, he said.

U.S. arms sales to South Korea rose to $939 million in fiscal 2010 from $819 million in fiscal 2009, according to the U.S. agency that oversees foreign arms sales.

North Korea -- which has conducted two nuclear tests but has not shown it has a working atomic bomb -- is one of the world's most militarized countries with 1.19 million troops in active service and more than 7.7 million reservists.

The reclusive and unpredictable communist state also has more than 800 ballistic missiles and more than 1,000 missiles of various ranges.

South Korea has 655,000 troops on active duty and about 3 million reservists. They are reinforced by 28,000 U.S. troops stationed in the South.

NEW FIGHTERS

U.S. and European defense companies are gearing up for the third phase next year of South Korea's fighter modernization program to replace decades-old F-4E and F-5E/F jets that have been involved in several fatal crashes in recent years.

Boeing Co (BA.N) won the first two phases with orders for 60 of its F-15 fighters and recently got an export license from the U.S. government to sell Seoul a new stealthy version of the popular fighter, said spokesman Damien Mills.

Seoul also expressed interest in 60 to 120 Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) F-35 multinational Joint Strike Fighters, although that competition is unlikely to come to fruition until around 2013, said Richard Aboulafia, an analyst with the Teal Group.

He said U.S. defense companies were closely watching the anticipated rise in South Korean weapons spending given flat and declining defense budgets in the United States and Europe, as well as continued tensions with North Korea.

"South Korea is arguably the area of the world with the greatest likelihood of a shooting war in terms of immediate danger from a very unstable neighbor," Aboulafia said.

Han gave no details about the fighter competitions and said the scope of the expected rise in weapons purchases depended on future decisions about the "optimal level of deterrence" to thwart further provocations from North Korea.

(Editing by John O'Callaghan)