Seoul stocks up on missiles

– South Korea plans to buy dozens of USbuilt ship-to-air missiles worth about $300 million (R4.2 billion), to boost air defences against North Korea, even as it moves to reduce tension with Pyongyang, Seoul’s arms buying agency said.

Since 2013, South Korea has bought Standard Missile-2s in instalments to equip three Aegis destroyers preparing to be deployed in the mid2020s. The latest missile purchase decision paves the way for delivery of the final batch, an official of the Defence Acquisition Program said. –