The Korean military is confirmed to have successfully developed a portion of key stealth technologies used to avoid enemy radar detection, after nine years of research.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration and the Agency for Defense Development began research in 1999 to develop stealth materials and weapons system application technologies.

They say that in nine years they developed a substance that absorbs electric waves that is essential to stealth technology.

A military official says a trial development is under way to try applying the substance to weapons systems. He said all key technologies that will be used in stealth missions are planned to be developed by mid-2010.