South Korea will likely join the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) at an MTCR temporary session scheduled to open in Paris later this month.

A government official said Monday that thanks to the conclusion of missile talks between Seoul and Washington, our country submitted an application to enter the MTCR at the end of January.

The official added that South Korea is expected to be easily approved as an official MTCR member by all 32 MTCR member nations at the Paris meeting slated to be held March 26.

The MTCR was established on the initiative of the United States in 1987. It restricts the export of delivery systems and related technology capable of carrying a 500-kilogram payload over a range of at least 300 kilometers.

In January, South Korea adopted a new missile guideline which enables it to develop and possess missiles with ranges of up to 300 kilometers. The guidelines were agreed upon after 20 rounds of formal and informal negotiations with the United States that began in 1995.