By Kim Se-jeong
Korea needs to enhance its naval capacity to protect its southernmost and easternmost islets, both currently at the center of territorial disputes, according to a government report released Sunday.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration’s (DAPA) report suggested the Navy should have at least three to four task groups to safeguard Dokdo in the East Sea and Ieodo in the South Sea from foreign territorial claims.
The report released by Rep.
Ahn Gyu-baek of the main opposition Democratic United Party estimated that the establishment of four naval task groups would cost 22 trillion won (19.8 billion) to be manned by 6,100 troops.
“The DAPA’s blueprint for reinforced naval task groups can hardly be achieved under the 2012-2030 long-term defense reform plan,” said Rep. Ahn.
The first naval task group was established in February 2010.
They usually consist of two Aegis destroyers, two Korean-type destroyers, 16 antisubmarine helicopters, one amphibious landing ship, two 3,000-ton-class submarines, three maritime patrol aircraft and one logistics support ship.
According to the DAPA, the report is born out of the need to be prepared for the eventuality of a military confrontation with contesting neighboring states over these territories.
Defense Minister Kim Kwanjin concurred with the rationale of the report during a parliamentary inspection session on Friday but added that the proposal does not meet the immediate shortterm security safeguard needed to achieve this goal. He hinted that in its place, “the government will begin the construction of six next-generation destroyers mounted with the capability to address this need.” Tensions between Seoul and Tokyo escalated after Korean President Lee Myung-bak visited the Dokdo islets in August, to the displeasure of Tokyo, which also lays claim to them.
Meanwhile, Ieodo, a rock 4.6 meters under sea level, south of Jeju Island, is at the center of conflicting territorial claims between Seoul and Beijing. The dispute is compounded by the overlapping nature of the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of both states, an already tense situation not helped by the fact that international maritime law does not recognize the legitimacy of disputes over a submerged rock.
Korea currently runs both civilian and scientific facilities there.