Latest news with #KoreanNavy
Al Arabiya
a day ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
North Korea launches repaired destroyer, Kim vows two more to come
A North Korean naval destroyer damaged in a botched launch last month was successfully set afloat on a second attempt, with leader Kim Jong Un presiding, state media said Friday. A ceremony for the ship, baptised the Kang Kon — named after a top North Korean general killed in the 1950–53 war — was held on Thursday at the Rajin shipyard, up the coast from where the failed attempt occurred, according to Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency. 'Just over two weeks since the accident, the ship was safely raised and floated, and today, as planned, complete restoration has been finished,' Kim said, according to KCNA. Kim has also approved a plan to build two more destroyer-class vessels next year, the agency added. The decision 'heralds a significant and dramatic change in the status and defense activities of [our] Navy,' Kim said, according to KCNA. Photos released by the agency showed Kim, wearing a large straw hat and beaming happily, accompanied by his daughter Ju Ae, considered by many experts to be his likely successor. He claimed that the 'provocative intentions of the US and its allies' have recently become 'more blatant, and the level of threats to our security has clearly gone far beyond the dangerous limit.' 'We must develop our naval power more comprehensively and rapidly so that the enemy cannot even think of carrying out aggressive actions in the waters around us,' the North Korean leader said. The successful launch comes after Pyongyang last month announced 'a serious accident' when workers first tried to put the 5,000-ton destroyer into water in the northeastern port city of Chongjin. The mishap crushed sections of the bottom of the newly built ship. Pyongyang later covered it with a tarpaulin, satellite images showed. South Korean intelligence believe North Korea's so-called 'side-launch attempt' of the ship failed, and the vessel was left listing in the water. Kim called the incident a 'criminal act caused by absolute carelessness,' and state media subsequently reported the arrest of four officials in connection with the botched launch. But the country said soon afterward that the extent of damage to the vessel was 'not serious,' and that it would take 'two or three days' to drain it, and another 10 to restore the destroyer's side. The South Korean military estimated that, based on its size and scale, the new warship was similarly equipped to the 5,000-ton destroyer-class vessel Choe Hyon, which North Korea unveiled in late April. Seoul's unification ministry, which manages relations with Pyongyang, said no 'external structural defects have been identified on the destroyer.' But 'continuous monitoring is required to determine whether it is functioning normally,' the ministry said in a statement. Pyongyang has said the Choe Hyon is equipped with the 'most powerful weapons,' and that it would 'enter into operation early next year.' Some analysts said the ship could be equipped with short-range tactical missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads — although North Korea has not proven it has the ability to miniaturize its atomic arsenal. Seoul's military has said the Choe Hyon could have been developed with Russian help, possibly in exchange for Pyongyang deploying thousands of troops to help Moscow fight in Ukraine. North Korea confirmed in April for the first time that it had deployed troops to Russia to support Moscow in the Ukraine war. Hong Sung-pyo, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for Military Affairs, said it is 'almost certain' that the North's latest warships are a result of Russia's assistance. 'North Korea is one of the very few countries that have supported Russia's war in Ukraine. Since it has provided very tangible assistance — including weapons and even personnel — Russia will find it difficult not to reciprocate,' he told AFP. 'What Pyongyang currently seeks the most are hard currency and advanced military technology.' South Korea's new president, Lee Jae-myung, elected last week in a snap election, has promised a more dovish approach toward Pyongyang, compared with that of his hawkish impeached predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol. The Lee administration has halted loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts along the border, which Seoul began last year following a barrage of trash-filled balloons flown southward by Pyongyang. North Korea had resumed its own propaganda broadcasts, sending strange and eerie noises into the South, but it appears to have stopped.
CNA
a day ago
- Politics
- CNA
North Korea launches repaired destroyer, Kim vows two more to come
SEOUL: A North Korean naval destroyer damaged in a botched launch last month was successfully set afloat on a second attempt, with leader Kim Jong Un presiding, state media said on Friday (Jun 13). A ceremony for the ship baptised the Kang Kon - after a top North Korean general killed in the 1950-53 war - was held on Thursday at the Rajin shipyard, up the coast from where the botched attempt occurred, according to Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency. "Just over two weeks since the accident, the ship was safely raised and floated, and today, as planned, complete restoration has been finished," Kim said, according to KCNA. Kim has also approved a plan to build two more destroyer-class vessels next year, the agency added. The decision "heralds a significant and dramatic change in the status and defence activities of (our) Navy", Kim said, according to KCNA. Photos released by the agency showed Kim was accompanied by his daughter Ju Ae. He claimed that the "provocative intentions of the US and its allies" have recently become "more blatant, and the level of threats to our security has clearly gone far beyond the dangerous limit". "We must develop our naval power more comprehensively and rapidly so that the enemy cannot even think of carrying out aggressive actions in the waters around us," the North Korean leader said. The successful launch comes after Pyongyang last month announced "a serious accident" when workers first tried to put the 5,000-tonne destroyer into water in the northeastern port city of Chongjin. The mishap crushed sections of the bottom of the newly built ship. Pyongyang later covered it with a tarpaulin, satellite images showed. South Korean intelligence believe North Korea's so-called "side-launch attempt" of the ship failed, and the vessel was left listing in the water. Kim called the incident a "criminal act caused by absolute carelessness" and state media subsequently reported the arrest of four officials in connection with the botched launch. But the country said soon afterwards that the extent of damage to the vessel was "not serious", and that it would take "two or three days" to drain it, and another 10 to restore the destroyer's side. The South Korean military estimated that, based on its size and scale, the new warship is similarly equipped to the 5,000-tonne destroyer-class vessel Choe Hyon, which North Korea unveiled in late April. RUSSIAN HELP? Pyongyang has said the Choe Hyon is equipped with the "most powerful weapons", and that it would "enter into operation early next year." Some analysts said the ship could be equipped with short-range tactical missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads - although North Korea has not proven it has the ability to miniaturise its atomic arsenal. Seoul's military has said the Choe Hyon could have been developed with Russian help, possibly in exchange for Pyongyang deploying thousands of troops to help Moscow fight in Ukraine. North Korea confirmed in April for the first time that it had deployed troops to Russia to support Moscow in the Ukraine war. South Korea's new president, Lee Jae-myung, elected last week in a snap election, has promised a more dovish approach towards Pyongyang, compared with his hawkish impeached predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol. The Lee administration has halted loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts along the border, which Seoul began last year in response to a barrage of trash-filled balloons flown southward by Pyongyang. North Korea had resumed its own propaganda broadcasts last year, sending strange and eerie noises into the South, prompting complaints from border residents.
![[Kim Seong-kon] What to learn from 'Escape From Saigon, 1975'](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimg.heraldcorp.com%2Fnews%2Fcms%2F2025%2F04%2F17%2Fnews-p.v1.20250417.40605d64c9394c1d8339a60e3ae8cf69_T1.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
![[Kim Seong-kon] What to learn from 'Escape From Saigon, 1975'](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fall-logos-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fkoreaherald.com.png&w=48&q=75){kind=small}
Korea Herald
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
[Kim Seong-kon] What to learn from 'Escape From Saigon, 1975'
Recently, I read an important book titled 'Escape From Saigon, 1975.' It's a memoir written by retired Korean Navy commander Lee Moon-hak and Chung Ho-young, a former journalist at Kookbang Ilbo, or Defense Daily. Reading this mesmerizing book was like watching a riveting war movie about an adventurous military rescue operation. 'Escape From Saigon, 1975' is about the Korean Navy's evacuation of Korean civilians residing in Vietnam just before Saigon fell to North Vietnamese forces. In the mission, called 'Operation Cross Star,' the Korean Navy dispatched three landing ship tanks from Korea, loaded with relief supplies for the South Vietnamese government. On their return voyage, they planned to covertly evacuate Korean civilians from Saigon. Commander Lee Moon-hak oversaw this difficult mission. Despite numerous hidden obstacles and dangers, the operation was accomplished successfully, without a single casualty, thanks to the admirable efforts of our naval officers and Ambassador Kim Yeong-gwan who possessed a strong sense of duty, honor and professionalism. During the Vietnam War, at the request of the US government, Korea dispatched approximately 30,000 combat and non-combat troops to South Vietnam from 1965 to 1973. Among them, about 5,000 Korean soldiers were killed in action and could not return to their home country. The Vietnamese government of the present day is admirable because it has the capacity to acknowledge the past and move on to the future. Indeed, Vietnam does not seem to harbor grudges against its former adversaries and is willing to cooperate with them to build a better future. Today, South Korea and Vietnam are good friends. In a 2023 survey, South Korea topped a list of Vietnamese people's favorite countries. Many South Koreans, too, consider Vietnam to be a good friend and reliable business partner. The arrival of the book, 'Escape From Saigon, 1975,' was timely because it reminded us of the striking resemblance between Korea and Vietnam. For example, Vietnam was divided by the communist North and the capitalist South after liberation, and so was Korea. Inside South Vietnam, there were those who were called the Viet Cong, or Vietnamese communists. They thought that North Vietnam had legitimacy because its leader Ho Chi Minh fought in the independence war against the colonizer. Therefore, they supported North Vietnam. In South Korea, too, there were those who clandestinely supported North Korea in the past. US troops fought both in the Korean War and in the Vietnam War to prevent the expansion of communism in Asia. In both wars, the US government pulled out its troops by signing a truce in 1953 and holding peace talks in 1973, respectively. The book stated that few people anticipated the defeat of South Vietnam by the North. When leaving Vietnam, US troops handed over an abundant supply of advanced weapons to the South Vietnamese army. As a result, South Vietnam had the world's 4th strongest Air Force, and more than 1 million soldiers armed with US weapons. But it was unable to turn that advantage into victory. Today, South Korea boasts that its military power is the 5th in the world, but the ranking is based on numbers of soldiers and conventional weapons, economic power and other factors. Thus, the ranking may be a hollow decoration for a country without nuclear weapons. The memoir also said that North Vietnamese politicians were confident that they could unify the country only if there were no US troops in the South. Indeed, two years after US troops left South Vietnam, the North invaded and occupied the South. The same thing could happen to South Korea, too. Another reason for the fall of South Vietnam was its internal divisions and disruptions. People believed that their political leader was dictatorial, and their government was incompetent and corrupt. The protests were intense and fierce: Buddhist monks frequently died after setting themselves on fire in public places and college students' rallies filled the streets. In today's South Korea, our society is also divided and polarized by two different ideologies. Foreigners are worried, watching the paralyzed administration, tyrannical legislature, and ideology-oriented judiciary. In 'Escape From Saigon, 1975,' the authors wrote that watching the internal turmoil in the South, North Vietnamese politicians knew they could conquer South Vietnam easily. The two authors of the book argue that the people in South Vietnam were so obtuse to the crisis that they did not prepare for the worst. Moreover, they observe that the South Vietnamese people wrongly believed that America would not abandon them easily. For South Korea, as it faces its own times of crisis, this is a point worth noting Kim Seong-kon is a professor emeritus of English at Seoul National University and a visiting scholar at Dartmouth College. The views expressed here are the writer's own. -- Ed.
Korea Herald
13-03-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Hanwha Ocean eyes KDDX project with smart ship, propulsion technologies
South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean announced Thursday that it is ramping up its capabilities to participate in Korea's next-generation destroyer or KDDX project. Scheduled for completion in 2031, the 7.8 trillion won ($5.4 billion) project aims to develop a state-of-the-art naval combat system, featuring six 6,000-ton Aegis-equipped destroyers built using Korea's homegrown technologies. The selection of a contractor for the detailed design and construction of the fleet's lead ship, originally expected in July 2023, is now set for April 2024. Advancing all-electric propulsion for KDDX Hanwha Ocean is working to acquire the technology needed to produce electric propulsion systems for surface vessels, a critical component for building all-electric destroyers. In Korea, this technology has only been implemented in submarines, specifically the Jangbogo KSS-III Batch-I and Batch-II, both built by Hanwha Ocean. In contrast, global naval forces, including those of the US and UK, have already deployed all-electric warships. The shipbuilder said the KDDX destroyers will be powered by high-output 25-megawatt motors, emphasizing that electrifying all ship systems, including weapons and propulsion, will enhance operational capabilities and potential applications. Last year, Hanwha Ocean successfully completed a simulated test for stable power control in an all-electric military vessel. The company has also developed a hybrid propulsion system integrating gas turbines and motors for the Ulsan-class Batch-II surface vessels. Smart bridge technology for next-gen warships Hanwha Ocean is also advancing smart bridge technology for military ships, inspired by aircraft cockpit designs. These smart command spaces feature ergonomic layouts to improve crew efficiency and operational convenience, ultimately reducing staffing requirements on the bridge. The company has already integrated a smart bridge into the conceptual design of Korea's Auxiliary Training Ship II. Additionally, the Korean Navy's auxiliary submarine rescue ship, Ganghwado, delivered by Hanwha Ocean last year, was equipped with a control console and operational display that integrates various functions. Enhancing rapid response and cybersecurity in naval warfare As part of the KDDX project's basic design, Hanwha Ocean has proposed integrating various control systems into a single, unified network — a core technology expected to define the future of military vessels. Traditionally, military ships rely on separate systems for functions such as communications and weapon management. Hanwha Ocean's unified system aims to enhance decision-making and responsiveness in high-intensity combat situations. Hanwha plans to extend this integrated approach to the 5th and 6th Ulsan-class Batch-III frigates, which it will construct, as well as the 1st and 2nd ships of the Ulsan-class Batch-VI. To address cybersecurity risks associated with an integrated naval network, Hanwha Ocean and its defense affiliate, Hanwha Systems, have developed a cybersecurity system for military vessels. This system has been certified by a US-based ship classification society, making it the first vessel cybersecurity system in Asia to receive such recognition.
