Breaking news
ROK Navy Opens New Naval Base on Jeju Island for KDX-III Aegis Destroyers.
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Naval
Forces News - South Korea |
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ROK
Navy Opens New Naval Base on Jeju Island for KDX-III Aegis Destroyers |
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The
Republic of Korea (ROK or South Korea) Navy announced it has officially
opened its new naval base on the southern resort island of Jeju. Jeju
island is strategically located in a sea passage connecting the East
China Sea and the Sea of Japan (East Sea) in the northwest Pacific Ocean.
According to the ROK Navy, it took the country 23 years and more than
1 trillion won (US$806 million) to complete construction of the base. |
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ROK Navy KDX II, KDX III, FFX and LHD docked at Jeju naval base. ROK Navy picture |
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A 7,600-ton
KDX-III Aegis Destroyer is set to be permanently homeported
to the new base which spans nearly 500,000 square meters with docks
running some 5 kilometers. The dual-use base is capable of simultaneously
docking up to 20 combat ships and two of the biggest cruise ships, larger
than 150,000 tons. With the relocations, Jeju will host more than 3,000
Navy troops as well as the Submarine Force Command. The base could see
more destroyers in the future as South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff(
JCS) decided in 2013 to increase the number of its Aegis destroyers
from the current three to six by 2027 to strengthen its maritime combat
capabilities.
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Artist impression of Jeju naval base. ROK Navy picture |
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The ROK Navy stressed the new base will dramatically
enhance the Navy's ability to counter North Korea's potential provocations
at the sea borders both in the west and the east. The new naval compound
also has in mind the mission to defend Ieo Island, known as Socotra Rock,
a strategically important South Korean submerged rock located nearly 300
km southwest of Jeju. China has previously laid claims to the resource-rich
rock, which South Korea controls with the presence of its maritime research
center there.
Partially designed by the South Korean Ministry of National Defense, built by Hyundai Heavy Industries and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, the Sejong the Great class Destroyers are the largest surface combatants in the Republic of Korea Navy. The 3 vessels of the class were built as part of the KDX-III project to strengthen ROK Navy defense against North Korea and other emerging threats as well as provide the ROK Navy with true blue water, ocean going capabilities. Link to KDX-III Aegis Destroyer technical datasheet |
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Location of the new ROK Navy naval base |
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