Navy inaugurates 1st submarine command

By Jun Ji-hye

The ROK Navy inaugurated its first submarine command, Sunday, to strengthen its underwater capabilities and combat readiness against North Korea.

Rear Adm. Youn Jeong-sang will lead the Submarine Force Command, based in the southern port city of Jinhae and comprised of 13 submarines.

“The command will maintain combat readiness capabilities against North Korea and strike strategic targets of enemies in the event of contingency,” said a Navy official.

By establishing the command, the Navy is now able to unify submarine-related activities ranging from operations, education and training to maintenance and logistical support, he noted.

“This will enable the Navy to carry out underwater operations more effectively around all parts of Korean Peninsula,” he said.

The Navy currently operates nine 1,200-ton submarines and four 1,800-ton subs.

It then plans to add five more 1,800-ton submarines to be built by 2019 as well as deploying nine 3,000-ton submarines capable of launching ballistic missiles in the 2020s.

The inauguration of the command comes at a time when the repressive state is maintaining a significant numerical superiority with its fleet of 70 subs, about 20 of them being in the 1,800-ton Romeo class. Recent reports have said the North is putting finish touches on an upgraded version of the Soviet-designed Romeo that it has converted into being capable of vertically launching missiles. But South Korean authorities believe that Pyongyang’s submarines lack performance capability compared to Seoul’s.

South Korea, which commissioned its first submarine Changbogo from Germany in 1992, became the sixth nation in the world with a submarine command after the United States, Japan, France, Britain and India.

Defense Minister Han Min-koo will conduct the foundation ceremony today in Jinhae.

Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye