The Defense Ministry will again ask the United States later this month for permission to purchase "Global Hawk," an unmanned reconnaissance plane.

The request will come at the bilateral Security Policy Initiative talks in Washington.

The Pentagon is reluctant to sell the strategic weapon, which is comparable to a spy satellite, over worry of technology leaks.

Seoul wants to buy the plane to boost patrol capabilities against North Korea once it retakes wartime operations command from Washington.

Priced at 45 million dollars a unit, the vehicle's infrared sensors and synthetic aperture radar can recognize terrestrial objects as small as 30 centimeters across.

It can also cruise 20 kilometers above ground for 38 to 40 hours.