South Korea to build a Naval Base

South Korea will build a naval base near an island claimed by both Seoul and Tokyo so that its warships can deploy faster than Japan's in case of disputes, a lawmaker said Wednesday.

Chung Mi-Kyung of the ruling Grand National Party said the government would build a $300 million naval base on Ulleung island by 2015, the AFP reports.

Ulleung is the closest South Korean territory to the Seoul-controlled islets in the Sea of Japan (East Sea) which are known as Dokdo in Korean and Takeshima in Japan.

Chung cited data from the transport ministry which would partly finance the project, saying construction would begin in 2012. The ministry confirmed the report.

The new base will feature a 300-metre (990-feet) pier big enough to accommodate Aegis destroyers and the 14,000-tonne amphibious landing ship named Dokdo, Chung said.