Kang Seung-woo is the Business Desk editor at The Korea Times. Prior to this position, he covered politics, national affairs, finance and sports.
Eulji Mundeok - Navy's 'top gun' ship
.jpg?w=728)
From left, Seaman Yang Gi-ho, Chief Petty Officer Park Do-seon, Lieutenant Park Ga-eul, Lt. Commander Lee Dong-ha, Master Chief Petty Officer Ko Seon-hui and Petty Officer First Class Choi Gyeong-jun pose aboard the destroyer Eulji Mundeok in the West Sea, on Dec. 29. / Courtesy of ROK Navy
By Kang Seung-woo
By Kang Seung-woo
The Eulji Mundeok, a 3,200-ton destroyer of the 2nd Fleet, which is charged with defending the waters south of the Northern Limit Line in the West Sea, was honored as the top gunnery ship of 2014 last month.
The vessel, built in April 1999 under the Korea Destroyer eXperimental-I (KDX-I) program and commissioned in September of the same year, received the highest score in the annual evaluation of ship-to-air and ship-to-ship firing capability among the Navy’s destroyers, frigates and patrol ships. The competition, established in 1988, has earned a reputation for improving naval gunfire.
“Winning the honor means ROKS Eulji Mundeok is the best naval ship,” said Captain Sung Jun-ho, the commanding officer of the destroyer.
“The ’top gun’ title is the outcome of a solid combination of all officers and seamen aboard the ship.”
He gave special credit to six of his crew, who all said the “top gun” achievement came from “unity and harmony.”
Lt. Commander Lee Dong-ha, in charge of operating various firing equipment and radar on the destroyer, said, “All 208 members, from the commander to sailors, worked together in harmony. Without such concerted efforts, we could not have claimed this honor.”
He added, “We already have prepared to repeat this in 2015.”
Lieutenant Park Ga-eul manages the missiles for use against ships, aircraft and submarines.
“As the lone female Navy officer who handles such weapons in a male-dominated area, I am proud of proving that a woman can do this too,” she said.
Master Chief Petty Officer Ko Seon-hui’s duty aboard the ship is to maintain the firing capability through gunnery exercise and teamwork training, along with maintenance for combat equipment.
“The secret of our success is that we thoroughly analyze external environments such as the wind, the tidal current and the waves ahead of every test,” he said.
Chief Petty Officer Park Do-seon and Petty Officer First Class Choi Gyeong-jun, both of whom are the gunners on the ship, were proud of their contribution to the award.
Seaman Yang Gi-ho also said, “It is rare to participate in a firing competition while in uniform. What is more honorable is that we won the contest.”
He continued, “Now, I have something to brag about after being discharged.”