Daewoo-Built Submarine Handed Over To Korean Navy

An advanced diesel-powered submarine that can track 300 undersea targets simultaneously was handed over to the South Korean Navy today.

Built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co at its facility in Geoje Island near the country's southeastern port city of Busan, the submarine can remain underwater for 10 days. 

The Navy plans to commission the new sub in December after training crew members.

"The Yu Gwan-sun is diesel-powered submarine capable of handling more than 300 underwater targets at the same time," Choi Hee-kyung, a DAPA official in charge of the programme was quoted as saying by Yonhap on Monday. "Equipped with a fuel battery system, it can conduct underwater operations for 10 days or longer without surfacing above the water."

It's expected to help the South offset its inferiority in the quantity of submarines to the North, known to have more than 80 submarines, Choi added.