S.Korea launches 2nd homegrown minelayer ship

SEOUL - South Korea's military on Wednesday launched its second homegrown minelayer ship to boost its maritime warfare capability, the Navy said.

The 3,000-ton minelayer was launched at the shipyard of Hyundai Heavy Industries in the country's southeastern city of Ulsan.

The "Nampo" ship was the country's second minelayer after the indigenous "Wonsan" ship was commissioned in 1998.

The second minelayer would be delivered to the Navy in October 2016, and be commissioned in April 2017 after five months of pilot operations.

The "Nampo" vessel is 114 meters long, 17 meters wide and 28 meters high, accommodating 120 crew members with a maximum speed of 23 knots.

The minelayer is equipped with homegrown facilities, including 76mm guns, torpedoes, radar, sonar and combat system. The stealth technology was applied to the ship, enhancing its radar-evading capability.