Korea has developed a long-range anti-submarine missile which can hit an enemy submarine about 20 km away. The "Red Shark" has a longer range and far sharper accuracy than the light torpedoes normally fired by conventional vessels or aircraft.

The Agency for Defense Development on Monday said the Defense Acquisition Program Agency developed the Red Shark at a cost of about W100 billion (US$1=W1,276) over nine years.

Europe, Russia and the U.S. have anti-submarine missil es, but the Red Shark is only the second vertical-launch anti-submarine rocket developed in the world following the U.S., the ADD said.

Red Sharks are 5.7 m long and 0.38 m in diameter, weigh 820 kg, and cost about W2 billion.

They will be installed in the Korean-made vertical launch system of the 5,000 t-class KDX-II and KDX-III Aegis destroyers.