US approves possible $111.8M weapons sale to South Korea

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - The US State Department has approved a possible $111.8 million weapons sale to South Korea, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Friday.

The agency said South Korea had requested 624 additional GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs—precision-guided weapons that fighter jets drop on ground targets with high accuracy that are powerful enough to destroy tanks and bunkers.

It said the sale "will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major ally that is an important force for political stability and economic progress" in the Asia-Pacific region.

The bombs will help South Korea defend against "current and future threats ... to deter aggression in the region" and ensure its forces can work seamlessly with American military units, the agency said.

It added that US defense company Boeing will manufacture the weapons and also that no additional US government staff or contractors will need to be stationed in South Korea for the sale.