Shipbuilders work at steady clip to meet ROKN requirements
KDX-III Batch 2 An artist’s rendering of the upcoming KDX III Batch 2 class of destroyer. (HHI)
South Korea’s navy is modernising with new vessels at a high tempo, but it is facing manpower shortfalls.
South Korea has an active naval shipbuilding programme, with numerous programmes for the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) underway, including submarines, a submarine rescue vessel, frigates and destroyers.
The launch of the ASR-II submarine rescue vessel (pennant number ASR-22) at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering’s (DSME) Okpo shipyard occurred on 7 October. Its construction commenced July 2020, and in mid-2023, it will duly supplement ROKS Cheonghaejin of 1996 vintage.
This 5,600t and 120m-long ASR-II submarine rescue ship will be called ROKS Ganghwado.
As for submarines, DSME declared on 10 September that it had signed a KRW985.7 billion ($887.1 million)
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