South Korea to step up direct government purchases of arms.

Text of report in English by South Korean news agency Yonhap

SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) - South Korea will increase government-to-government purchases of weapons next year to cut down on commissions paid out to corporate agents, an official said Thursday.

The plan comes after President Lee Myung-bak [Yi Myo'ng-pak] called earlier this year on the defence ministry to push to reduce transaction costs generated when arms dealers are involved.

About 65 per cent of weapons purchases by South Korea are made through corporate intermediaries, according to Jang Ki-yoon, director of foreign policy at the Ministry of National Defence, while the rest depend on foreign …