SEOUL, May 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea could purchase the "Global Hawk" aircraft from the United States as early as 2015, as Washington has recently offered to sell some of the high-altitude unmanned reconnaissance airplanes, a source here said Friday.In their high-level military talks on May 14, the U.S. said it was willing to sell some of its Global Hawks to South Korea, which plans to introduce unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) between 2015-2016, the source said.
"The U.S. decided to sell Global Hawks as we repeatedly requested the sales," the South Korean source said, adding the U.S. has also asked South Korea to submit a proposal for the purchase. "The U.S. decision to sell Global Hawks to South Korea attests to the trust built in the alliance between the two countries," the source added.
South Korea had initially sought to buy UAVs by 2011. Pressured by its weakening currency, the country has recently postponed the plan.