¡¡¡¡SEOUL, June 10 (Xinhuanet) -- South Korea should establish its own system to defend against missiles and long-range artillery, whether or not the United States asks it to join the US-led missile defense (MD) system, a defense official said Tuesday.

¡¡¡¡"We need to build our own capabilities regardless of requests from the United States," Deputy Defense Minister for Policy Cha Young-koo said in an interview on a KBS radio program.

¡¡¡¡"However, the United States has not yet made any proposal on our participation in the MD," Lt. General Cha said.

¡¡¡¡Cha stressed the need for South Korea to establish its own capability, despite the fact that United States Forces Korea (USFK)has deployed Patriot missiles on the peninsula as part of the South Korea-US alliance.

¡¡¡¡"We need to establish our own capability and we have a mid- and long-term plan for that," he added.

¡¡¡¡Cha's remarks came amid realignment of the 37,000 USFK, which demands South Korea to shoulder more in defense field.

¡¡¡¡Moreover, the military official mentioned his ministry has asked for the defense budget to account for up to 3.2 percent of the gross domestic product in 2004. "On a mid- and long-term basis,the country will have to invest up to 3.5 percent of the GDP in the annual defense budget to prepare for the future," he said.

¡¡¡¡Cha was referring to the recent demand by US officials that Seoul raise its defense budget to over 3 percent of its GDP. Now, South Korea's defense budget only accounts for 2.7 percent of its GDP. Enditem

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