U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell reportedly asked his South Korean counterpart Lee Joung-binn to adopt the U.S. Boeing's "F-15K" fighters in relation with Seoul's next-general fighter procurement project.

A government official said...Powell made such a request when he met Lee while Lee visited Washington in early February.

He added the project is something on which the Defense Ministry should determine through composite consideration.

A high-ranking official at the Defense Ministry said... during a Jan. 13 meeting with Defense Minister Cho Seung-tae in Seoul, U.S. Senator Christopher Bond expressed an interest in the purchase of Boeing fighters.

The official noted... to his remarks that Cho replied no one could affect the project and procurement would proceed following fair procedures and relevant regulations.

Cho was quoted as saying that although he knows the quality of Boeing fighters is good, other defense suppliers make comparable products, adding Boeing has to first secure competitiveness in prices and technology transfer.