South Korea to build ballistic missiles after nuclear test in North

North Korea's suspected nuclear test site in P'unggye-yok Kilju county
South Korea said it would accelerate the development of longer-range ballistic missiles that could cover the whole of North Korea in response to a third nuclear test by Pyongyang.

"We will speed up the development of ballistic missiles with a range of 800 kilometres (500 miles),'' Defence Ministry spokesman Kim Min-Seok told reporters.

In October last year, South Korea reached a deal with the United States to almost triple the range of its missile systems - with Seoul arguing it needed an upgrade to counter the North's missile and nuclear programmes.

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