Defense ministry officials told lawmakers more than 100 of the locally developed Hyeonmu missiles had already been deployed in an unidentified frontline unit, according to Maeil business daily.

Hyeonmu missiles have a range of up to 300 kilometers (186 miles) and are capable of reaching most of North Korean territory including the northwestern city of Sinuiju near the border with China, it said.

The ministry also said it had purchased and deployed 110 ATACMS Block 1A Missiles produced by Lockheed Martin. These missiles have the same range as Hyeonmu.

Defense ministry officials declined to comment on the report.

ATACMS Block 1A and Hyeonmu are the longest-range missiles deployed in South Korea.

Their deployment became possible only after Washington and Seoul in 2001 revised an accord to pave the way for South Korea to possess missiles with a range of up to 300 kilometers instead of the past limit of 180 kilometers.

The United States has restricted South Korea's missile development to avoid an arms race on the Korean peninsula.

But US military authorities yielded to Seoul insisting the range of their own missiles should be extended to cope with North Korea's missiles.

North Korea has already deployed short range Scuds and Rodongs with a range of 1,300 kilometers, while actively developing longer-range Taepodong missiles with a range of up to 6,000 kilometers, according to South Korean analysts.

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