South Korea has begun mass production of Red Shark torpedoes, designed for destroying hostile submarines, a Russian business daily quoted the South Korean Navy as saying on Monday.
"New underwater missiles are one of the main kinds of weaponry, that can bring us victory in the anti-submarine battles of the future," Kommersant quoted a South Korean Navy statement as saying.
The statement said the 20-km range torpedoes will be launched vertically from South Korean destroyers.
Earlier on Monday South Korean President Lee Myung-bak froze economic relations and maritime communications with the North following evidence showing North Korea to be responsible for the sinking of the South Korean Cheonan corvette on March 26 near the disputed Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the Yellow Sea.
The 1,200-ton vessel sank after a sudden explosion that killed 46 sailors. A group of international investigators confirmed on Thursday suspicions that the ship was destroyed by a torpedo launched from a North Korean submarine.
North Korea called the results of the investigation "a fabrication," and warned Seoul of a stern response if the South retaliated with new sanctions against Pyongyang.
The state claimed the right to strengthen its "nuclear power". Kommersant quoted a North Korean foreign ministry spokesman as saying that North Korea "manufactured nuclear weapons legitimately" in order to protect the sovereignty of the country and the security of the nation.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said the United States would support South Korea on the issue and was ready to help the state deter future aggression.
"U.S. support for South Korea's defense is unequivocal, and the president has directed his military commanders to coordinate closely with their Republic of Korea counterparts to ensure readiness and to deter future aggression".
"We endorse President Lee's demand that North Korea immediately apologize and punish those responsible for the attack, and, most importantly, stop its belligerent and threatening behavior."
Kommersant cited U.S. secretary of state Hillary Clinton as saying the U.S. is "working hard to avoid an escalation of belligerence and provocation" on the Korean Peninsula.
The two countries remain technically at war as their 1950-1953 conflict ended only in an armistice.
MOSCOW, May 24 (RIA Novosti)
