WORLD> Asia-Pacific
S.Korea seeks joint development of weapon system
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-09-02 11:43

SEOUL -- South Korean Defense Minister Lee Sang-hee said Tuesday that Seoul is to launch unprecedented joint development and acquisition of defense goods with foreign countries.

"High-tech and complex weapon systems require astronomical expenses for weapon system acquisition... These are common problems of every government wishing to expand national security capacities with limited defense funds," said Lee at the opening ceremony of the second international conference on defense acquisition in Seoul.

South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), which hosts the conference, said the main objective of the forum will be to seek ways to increase cooperation in defense R&D between the participating nations.

Britain, India, Indonesia, Israel, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey and the United States send their officials to the conference.