Senate passes preferential treatment legislation for arms sales to S. Korea

By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday passed legislation granting most preferential treatment to South Korea in government-to-government sales of U.S. defense goods.

The legislation provides South Korea with the same status as members of the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Japan, Australia and New Zealand regarding
U.S. foreign military sales (FMS), under which Congress is required to review
proposed arms sales worth over US$25 million to South Korea within 15 days.
Under the current law, the U.S. government is supposed to get permission from
Congress for the sale of defense goods worth over $14 million within 30 days.
Similar legislation is awaiting approval from the Senate.
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak met with U.S. President George W. Bush at
Camp David in April to agree on the upgrading of South Korea's FMS status.
South Korea has purchased $6.9 billion worth of defense goods from the U.S. on an
FMS basis for the past decade with the figure breaking down to $840 million in
2007 and $610 million in 2006, both the eighth biggest among foreign buyers.
South Korea, meanwhile, purchased $1.52 billion worth of defense goods from the
U.S. on a commercial basis in the fiscal year 2007.
In approving the legislation, the Senate cited the need to enhance compatibility
of weapons of the South Korean military and 28,500-strong U.S. troops stationed
in South Korea as a deterrent against North Korea.
hdh@yna.co.kr