S. Korean Navy receives new amphibious landing ship

The South Korean Navy took delivery Friday of the country's first indigenous next-generation amphibious landing ship expected to boost the military's landing and transportation capabilities, the state arms procurer said.  

The 4,500-ton LTS-II ship Cheonwangbong, named after the country's second-highest peak of Mount Jiri in the southern region, had been built with the country's own technology by shipbuilder Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Co. since 2011.   

Capable of accommodating 300 fully-armed troops as well as amphibious tanks and two helicopters, the vessel gives the military advanced mobility and loading capabilities, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).

The ship, which is 126 meters long and 19 meters wide, can sail at a maximum speed of 23 knots. 

After some five months of test runs and other necessary procedures, the Navy plans to put it into service in the first half of next year, according to officers.

"The next-generation landing ship can play diverse roles, including carrying out landing operations duties, transporting goods to bases and remote areas, and conducting warfare against local provocations," the DAPA said in a statement. 

"It is also expected to enhance national dignity by being dispatched to diverse peace-keeping operations overseas," it added.

Also Friday, the Navy received its 17th guided-missile destroyer to be in charge of defending the country's shoreline and harbors.   

Equipped with the latest indigenous weaponry including ship-to-ship guided missiles, the 450-ton, high-speed ship can sail at a top speed of 40 knots with 40 crew members, according to DAPA. (Yonhap)