ADDITIONAL PROCUREMENT OF THREE AEGIS SHIPS

The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff have decided to procure three additional new Aegis destroyers by the mid-2020s. South Korea already has three Aegis ships Sejongdaewang Ham acquired in 2008, Yulgok Yi Yi Ham acquired in 2010 and Seoae Ryu Seong Ryong Ham acquired in 2012. The government has now sanctioned the funds required. Compared to the existing Aegis destroyer (KDX-III), the new ones will have loaded combat systems used for ballistic missile detection and tracking, and configured with the required operational capability to offer improved detection capability of submarines and submergence vehicles with the integrated sonar system. This acquisition will give the South Korean Navy operational capability to counter asymmetric threats from North KoreaÕs missiles.