Jinhae: A 3,000-ton South Korean naval submarine, ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, is set to make history by traveling across the Pacific for the first time to participate in joint drills with Canada, aimed at enhancing maritime security and arms industry cooperation. The Navy announced this significant development on Wednesday, marking a major step in South Korea's naval endeavors.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the submarine's planned 14,000-kilometer voyage comes as a South Korean consortium competes with Germany's Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems for a landmark contract to supply 12 naval submarines to the Canadian navy. The journey will commence from Jinhae, traveling to Victoria in western Canada, and will include stops in Guam and Hawaii for replenishment. Notably, two Canadian submariners will join the South Korean crew for the final leg of the trip from Hawaii to Victoria.
When completed in late May, this will represent the longest distance traveled by a South Korean submarine. After the joint drills, the submarine will also participate in the U.S.-led multinational Rim of the Pacific exercise in Hawaii in late June before returning to South Korea.
The Navy marked the departure with a ceremony at the Submarine Force Command at a major naval base in Jinhae. Key officials, including the vice naval chief and the chief of the state arms procurement agency, attended the event. Foreign dignitaries such as Canadian Ambassador to South Korea Philippe Lafortune and British Ambassador to South Korea Colin Crooks were also present. Naval Chief of Operations Adm. Kim Kyung-ryul emphasized the journey as a "great voyage" and an opportunity to showcase the capabilities of South Korean submarines.
Lee Yong-cheol, chief of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, highlighted the significance of the ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho's trip, calling it a "driving force" for the Navy and arms industry. He remarked on its potential to expand cooperation with friendly nations like Canada and Britain, while reaffirming the status of South Korea's Navy and arms industry potential.
South Korea is intensifying efforts to secure the major submarine bid, valued at around 60 trillion won (US$40 billion). Last month, government ministries, including defense, foreign, and industrial sectors, along with the Navy and defense firms Hanwha Ocean Co. and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., signed an official document confirming government support for the bid.
In December, Canadian submariners participated in the Silent Shark drills with South Korean submariners aboard the ROKS Ahn Mu, another 3,000-ton submarine, during a combined anti-submarine warfare exercise held near Guam by South Korea and the United States.