South Korea launched the Dasan Jeong Yak-yong (DDG-996)
South Korea launched its latest destroyer “Dasan Jeong Yak-yong (DDG-996)” at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Ulsan shipyard on 17 September. This 8,200-tonne and 170-meter-long Aegis-equipped warship is the second vessel in the new King Jeongjo-class (KDX-III Batch-II) destroyer series. It incorporates the U.S. Aegis combat system into a Korean-designed hull – a symbol of Korea–U.S. naval cooperation. With a beam of 21 meters and a top speed of about 30 knots, the ship will enter service in 2026 and join the Republic of Korea Navy’s mobile fleet command.
Dasan Jeong Yak-yong is equipped with a full range of modern sensors and weapons. The detection and tracking performance has been improved compared to earlier Sejong the Great-class destroyers because of its AN/SPY-1D(V) phased-array radar and advanced fire-control systems. An Integrated SONAR system greatly extends its submarine-hunting range. The ship’s armament includes 48 Mk 41 vertical-launch cells for Standard-series missiles (including SM-2, SM-3 and SM-6) and 80 Korean Vertical Launch System (KVLS) cells for indigenous surface-to-air and anti-submarine missiles. These give it layered air and missile defense capabilities as well as anti-ship and anti-submarine firepower. It also supports two MH-60R Seahawk helicopters. Four General Electric LM2500 gas turbines in a combined setup with a hybrid electric drive power the destroyer at over 30 knots, providing a range of approximately 5,500 nautical miles.
This destroyer is a core asset of South Korea’s maritime defense strategy. As part of the KDX-III Batch-II program, it builds on the KDX destroyer series and contributes to the nation’s Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) system. It will function within the ROK Navy’s “Sea-Based Maneuvering Three-Axis” strategy, combining surface, undersea and missile-defense systems to address North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats. Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-baek and top naval officials attended the launch ceremony.
The ship is named after a famous Joseon-era scholar and reformer, “Jeong Yak-yong (pen name Dasan, 1762–1836).” The launch of Dasan Jeong Yak-yong marks a major boost to South Korea’s naval capabilities. At 8,200 tonnes it is among the world’s most powerful Aegis destroyers, outfitted for anti-air, anti-missile, anti-ship and anti-submarine warfare. It exemplifies the ROK–U.S. defense partnership and underscores Seoul’s push toward a blue-water navy. Looking ahead, Seoul plans an even newer domestic destroyer under the KDDX program – a 7,100-ton next-generation ship – further advancing its maritime technology. The new destroyer’s combination of firepower, sensors and advanced design will strengthen South Korea’s regional deterrence at a time of growing security challenges.