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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, October 30, 2003

S.Korea develops portable anti-aircraft missile

South Korea announced Thursday it has developed its own portable anti-aircraft missile successfully, and such missile can be mass-produced from the beginning of next year.


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South Korea announced Thursday it has developed its own portable anti-aircraft missile successfully, and such missile can be mass-produced from the beginning of next year.

The missile, named Singung, was developed by the state-run Agency for Defense Development.

"Singung will significantly enhance the military's morale and air-defense system," Lee Un-bong, head of the agency's missile project, was quoted by national news agency Yonhap News Agency as saying.

The missile, with a proven hit probability of more than 90 percent, can strike aircraft flying as far away as 7 kilometers ata speed of mach 0.7-0.8, said Lee Un-bong in a press conference held in South Korean Defense Ministry earlier Thursday.

The South Korean missile is designed to automatically explode against a target flying within a radius of 1.5 kilometers, sending out as many as 720 fragments in all directions, Lee said.

It was the first time that South Korea has developed a portable anti-aircraft missile.

South Korea already has an undisclosed number of imported portable missiles such as the French-made Mistral and the US-made Stinger.

According to agency officials, the French-made Mistral has about the same level of accuracy as that of Singung. but it is 5 to 6 kilograms heavier than its South Korean counterpart.

The agency has spent 70 billion won (59.3 million US dollars) into its missile development project since 1995, Lee said, adding if the country replaces its French and US-made missiles with Singung, it can save up to 500 billion won (423 million dollars), Lee said.

Under an accord with the United States, South Korea cannot develop its own missiles with a range longer than 180 kilometers.


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