Korea Buys $540 Million Worth of US Arms, Services in 2006: Report

Korean Information Service, Korea agreed to purchase $540 million worth of arms and services from the United States last year, making it the third largest customer in Asia and eighth worldwide, according to the latest congressional report. 
 
The same report said the U.S. delivered $610 million in defense materiel and services to Korea during the same year, also the third largest amount in Asia and eighth in the world. 
 
Dated Dec. 20 and issued by the Congressional Research Service, the report for 2006 continues a periodic series compiling U.S. arms sales and deliveries to major clients. 
 
In Asia, Australia topped the list in concluded contracts with $2.6 billion, followed by $890 million by Japan. Ethiopia was the biggest purchaser in Africa, Canada in the Americas, Israel in the Near East, and Turkey in Europe. 
 
Korea has been among the top five buyers of American defense goods over the last eight years, the period the CRS has been keeping tabs. In the report for the 1999-2002 period, South Korea ranked first in Asia with $3.5 billion and fourth globally. 
 
In actual deliveries, Australia again topped the list for Asia, followed by Taiwan. Ethiopia received the most among African nations, [with] Chile in the Americas, Israel in the Near East, and the Netherlands in Europe. 
 
Korea stayed in the top five in this category as well. In 1999-2002, it ranked second with $3.2 billion in delivered defense articles and services.