The Bush administration says that with the exception of land mines on the Korean peninsula, it intends to make all U.S. land mines detectable to American forces and scrap those not timed to self-destruct.

But the administration also says it would not join the 150 nations that have signed an anti-land mine treaty.

Assistant Secretary of State Lincoln Bloomfield said the process of getting rid of so-called "persistent" land mines - those not preset to become inoperative -- will begin in two years, with the aim of completing the program by 2010.

But he said land mines will be retained as a deterrent on the Korean peninsula, where they are under the control of South Korea.

A total of 11,700 people, including 2,649 children, were killed by land mines in 2002, according to a report in September by The International Campaign to Ban Landmines.