S Korea, US discuss extending range of S Korean missiles

South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak says South Korea and the United States are holding talks on extending the range of South Korean missiles. President Lee said that because North Korean missiles can reach as far as Jeju Island, there is a need to extend the range of South Korea's missiles. He said Washington understands this position and added that the two countries are expected to reach an agreement soon, according to the Korean (KBS WORLD) website. A military official said South Korea is banned from developing ballistic missiles with a range greater than 300 kilometers under current South Korea-US missile guidelines. The official said if the two nations reach an agreement during talks, South Korea would be able to extend the range of its ballistic missiles up to one-thousand kilometers within one or two years.