South Korea Unveils New Destroyer as Regional Tensions Rise
South Korea’s latest warship, the guided-missile destroyer Jeongjo the Great, was officially commissioned on Monday at the naval base in Busan.
The vessel, stretching 170 meters long with a displacement of 8,200 tons, is a technological powerhouse. Equipped with advanced radar evasion capabilities and the U.S.-developed Aegis naval combat system, the Jeongjo the Great is able to track, guide, and intercept ballistic missiles – a crucial defense capability in the face of ongoing tensions with North Korea.
"It is expected that the surface-to-surface missile system Standard Missile-3 (SM-3), which can launch ballistic missiles at altitudes higher than 100 kilometers," further enhancing its capabilities.
This cutting-edge destroyer marks the first of three 8,200-ton destroyers equipped with the Aegis system planned under Seoul’s Gwanggaeto-III Batch-II project. This ambitious program seeks to significantly bolster South Korea’s national defense against potential threats from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), particularly its development of ballistic missiles and submarines.
With a top speed exceeding 55 kilometers per hour and sophisticated submarine detection and tracking capabilities, the Jeongjo the Great is poised to play a key role in safeguarding South Korea’s maritime security. The destroyer is also armed with long-range anti-submarine missiles and light missiles for offensive operations.
Following extensive training exercises, the Jeongjo the Great is expected to be deployed on operational missions in late 2025. The warship will also be capable of operating with a maritime operations helicopter, which is expected to be integrated into its operations next year.
