South Korea will mass-produce a 155-millimeter extended-range artillery shell this year after successfully completing its development in a yearslong project, the state arms procurement agency said Tuesday.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration held a meeting with ammunition maker Poongsan at the company's research center in Daejeon, 139 kilometers south of Seoul, to officially conclude the development project launched in 2014 after the shell was assessed as combat suitable last August.

The newly developed shell can fly up to about 60 km, marking an increase in range of more than 30 percent compared with existing projectiles. To ensure the extended range, the shell employs base bleed technology, which reduces the shell's drag, and a rocket motor.

DAPA said it plans to sign a contract with Poongsan this year for the shell's mass production.

In a release, DAPA Minister Eom Dong-hwan said the shell's development will pave the way for South Korea to push for its exports along with the homegrown K9 155 mm self-propelled howitzer. (Yonhap)