Controversy rises over military's push for light aircraft carrier development

A graphic of an indigenous light aircraft carrier, which the military has recently decided to develop. Yonhap

By Jung Da-min

The military has decided to push ahead with its plan to develop an indigenous light aircraft carrier despite questions over its effectiveness.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) decided on the need for the aircraft carrier during a meeting presided over by JCS Chairman Gen. Won In-choul last Wednesday.

The decision came despite the project budget being largely reduced. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) had initially planned to spend 10.1 billion ($9.3 million) won this year for the basic design of the carrier but the Ministry of Economy and Finance reduced the amount to only 100 million won for contracts covering research and holding debates.

The military is planning to establish basic strategies for the development project and complete a feasibility study this year, and begin basic design work next year to finally secure one light aircraft carrier with a 30,000 tons standard displacement and 40,000 tons full-load displacement by 2033. The military is also expected to push ahead with acquiring F-35B stealth fighter jets which can be carried by the vessel.

The decision to push ahead with the development project is expected to reignite controversy around its necessity. The Navy has been citing possible military threats posed by North Korea, neighboring countries' strengthening of their military power and the need to protect maritime traffic routes. Those opposing the project, however, said it would be a waste of money to develop a light carrier which would not directly provide security to South Korea considering that North Korea uses submarines and South Korea is under the protection of the United States which has advanced aircraft carriers.

Shin Jong-woo, a senior researcher at the Korea Defense and Security Forum, said the military's hasty attitude has led to the consuming debate.

“When the military first announced its plan to develop an indigenous light aircraft carrier in August last year, it did not follow due procedures, such as conducting a feasibility study in advance, while only presenting ambiguous reasons, such as strategic need,” Shin said.

He said the following debates at the National Assembly on the necessity of the project between lawmakers of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) were also out of focus and that PPP lawmakers opposed the project for opposition's sake.

A general-turned-lawmaker Shin Won-sik of the PPP said during an Assembly National Defense Committee session that the indigenous aircraft carrier, if developed, would only serve to respond to requests from the U.S.

Rep. Hwang Hee of the DPK supported the military's stance saying an indigenous aircraft career would help strengthen the South Korea-U.S. military alliance. The lawmakers' positions were contrary to the common tendency of the conservative bloc to support military alliances more than the liberal bloc.

“Such debates of opposition for opposition's sake and approval for approval's sake do not help people understand the essence of the project. … Debates on the matter should be more focused on practical matters such as how the military could utilize an indigenous light aircraft carrier; how the military could strengthen the country's maritime sovereignty through the development of it; and how the carrier could contribute to the strengthening of combined forces of South Korea and the U.S.,” Shin said.

Another defense expert Park Won-gon, a professor of international politics at Handong Global University, expressed a negative view on the project considering cost versus benefit at a time when the country should focus more on other economic issues.

“Dealing with increasing military threats from neighboring countries such as China or Japan as supporters of the project claim, is an area which should be dealt with through the military alliance between South Korea and the U.S., not by developing an indigenous aircraft carrier,” Park said.