THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA NAVY A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH

The rise of Asia’s navies during the last decade has been a significant development in naval warfare. Stories highlighting the growing international presence of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy are now regular features in the popular press. The importance of other regional fleets, such as those of Australia, India and Japan, is also widely recognised.

One navy with a lower profile is that of South Korea’s Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN), but this is something of an anomaly. A major global trading economy with one of the world’s largest shipbuilding industries, South Korea has a clear need for significant naval forces and, equally importantly, the means to acquire them. It is therefore not surprising that the country has long harboured ambitions to develop a ‘blue water’ oceanic navy.

Achieving this capability has not been straightforward. The persistent threat from North Korea has meant that securing the country’s littoral waters from attack by its unstable neighbour has always assumed first priority. Nevertheless, the ROKN has steadily expanded and has become a significant regional naval power.

Moreover, with ambitions that encompass