Gov't to submit extra defense spending plan

The Ministry of National Defense said Tuesday it will submit to the National Assembly a supplementary budget plan scaled at 217.4 billion won ($194.3 million) to bolster military capacity and expand facilities in frontline areas.

The extra budget plan, if approved, will bring the country's total defense expenditures this year to 34.56 trillion won.

Of the money, 73.7 billion won would be used to reinforce protective facilities of general outposts (GOPs) in frontline areas, and 35.4 billion won would be spent to bolster inter-Korean border surveillance facilities, the ministry said.

About 99 billion won will be used to build up military capacity, it said.

The money is part of the govenment's 17.3 trillion won "super" extra budget proposal for 2013 to revitalize the economy and improve the people's livelihood.

By Keat Min Woo

Park Sae-jin swatchsjp@ajunews.com