SEOUL, Sept. 7 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea on Thursday launched a new 1,800-ton submarine, characterizing it as a “strategic dagger” to strike precisely at a range of targets. The launch of the diesel-electric submarine wrapped up the Navy’s KSS-II acquisition program, which began in 2000, for the introduction of nine 1,800-ton 214-class submarines. “It’s [...]
SEOUL, May 31 (Korea Bizwire) – President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday vowed to build a stronger maritime nation by bolstering its economic and military powers at sea. As part of the efforts, he promised to establish a public corporation to provide financial assistance to the nation’s ailing shipping and shipbuilding industries, and revive their global [...]
SEOUL, April 28 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea said Friday it has begun the construction of another large-scale amphibious landing ship to be used by the country’s Navy. A keel-laying ceremony for the 14,500-ton vessel will be held later in the day at the shipyard of Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Co. in Busan, according [...]
SEOUL, April 27 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea’s Navy will start the trial operation of an unmanned ship next month, the country’s newly developed weapon mainly for use on the tense sea border with North Korea, the state arms procurement agency said Thursday. The Defense Acquisition Program Agency (DAPA) launched a 3.3 billion won (US$2.9 [...]
SEOUL, April 18 (Yonhap) – South Korea’s Navy has completed the development of new tactical ship-to-ground guided missiles which would enhance its ability to strike North Korea’s key military facilities, the country’s arms procurement agency said Tuesday. South Korea will start mass-producing the missiles with two types of launch systems — inclined and vertical — [...]
BUSAN, Feb. 15 (Korea Bizwire) – A military source confirmed Wednesday that the USNS Howard O. Lorenzen – capable of tracking and monitoring ballistic missiles – is currently stationed in Busan, South Korea’s largest port, amid recent threats from North Korea that have been raising international concern. The 12,845-ton vessel went into operation in 2014, [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea mobilized four of its new “Wildcat” maritime helicopters for military operations Wednesday, aircraft that will be primarily responsible for neutralizing threats from North Korean submarines. The four aircraft are among eight AgustaWestland AW-159 Wildcat choppers delivered to the navy last year, with the other four to be [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 18 (Korea Bizwire) – MUSAT, or Multi UDT/SEAL Assaulting Tactics, is a form of close-encounter combat training used often by the UDT/SEAL units and the Special Warfare Flotilla of the Republic of the Korea Navy. At first glance, the discipline is reminiscent of the Filipino martial art Kali, or knife fighting, although more [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 17 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea will deploy 12 additional maritime choppers by 2022 to better counter growing North Korean submarine threats, the state defense procurement agency said Tuesday. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said the military plans to invest about 900 billion won (US$768 million) to pick a helicopter model for [...]
CHANGWON, South Korea, Jan. 9 (Korea Bizwire) – The SSU, or Ship Salvage Unit, is the South Korean navy’s top elite special force along with the UDT/SEAL unit. The SSU’s operations include not only ship salvaging, but also search and rescue, removing on or underwater obstacles from harbors and other waterways, and the reconnaissance of [...]