S. Korea to commission new submarine to beef up naval defense

SEOUL, Nov. 30 (Yonhap) -- The Navy said Monday it will commission its latest
submarine this week to reinforce its defense capabilities in the seas.

The An Jung Geun, capable of tracking 300 underwater targets simultaneously, will
be commissioned Tuesday in the southeastern port city of Busan, the Navy said in
a statement.
The 1,800-ton submarine is capable of traveling at 37 kilometers an hour, and is
named after a Korean national hero who assassinated Japanese diplomat Ito
Hirobumi in the early 20th century when the peninsula was colonized by Japan, the
Navy said.
South Korea operates about 10 submarines, according to its defense ministry. The
Navy said the An Jung Geun can stay underwater for up to two weeks without
re-surfacing, thanks to its air-independent propulsion system.
The submarine will carry about 40 crewmembers and a range of torpedos and
anti-ship guided missiles, the Navy said, adding it will undergo a period of
performance testing after being commissioned.
samkim@yna.co.kr
(END)

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