The National Institute of Health says it has more or less completed developing South Korea's very own anthrax vaccine.

The institute said on Monday that it plans to request the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology to test the safety and possible side effects of the vaccine after it finishes animal testing.

The government has invested a total of one billion won into developing the anthrax vaccine over the past nine years.

The development of the next generation South Korean anthrax vaccine is expected to be completed by 2009.