HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Delivers Destroyer ROKS Dasan Jeong Yak-yong to South Korea Navy

South Korea : In a landmark ceremony on 17 September 2025 in Ulsan, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) officially launched the next-generation Aegis destroyer ROKS Dasan Jeong Yak-Yong, a central asset in South Korea’s KDX-III Batch II program. Named after the renowned Joseon-era scholar Dasan Jeong Yak-yong, the warship represents a decisive leap forward in the Republic of Korea Navy’s ability to conduct missile defense, anti-submarine warfare, and long-range strike missions.

Major Features & Capabilities

The Dasan Jeong Yak-Yong is designed as one of the most powerful surface combatants in Asia:

• Dimensions & Displacement: Around 170 meters long, 21 meters wide, with a displacement of 8,200 tons (light) and over 10,000 tons at full load.

• Speed & Crew: Capable of reaching 30 knots, manned by a crew of about 300 sailors.

• Combat System: Outfitted with the Aegis Combat System (Baseline 9 derivative), paired with the AN/SPY-1D(V) radar for wide-area tracking of air, surface, and ballistic missile threats.

• Vertical Launch Systems (VLS): A total of 88 VLS cells, including:

  • 48 Mk-41 cells for Standard Missiles (SM-2, SM-3, SM-6),

  • 16 Korean VLS cells for ASROC anti-submarine weapons and shorter-range SAMs,

  • 24 Korean VLS-II cells, enabling next-generation long-range missiles such as the L-SAM and land-attack cruise missiles.

• Anti-Submarine Power: Advanced SONAR suites (including a towed array system) and support for MH-60R Seahawk helicopters.

• Propulsion: Four gas turbine engines with a Hybrid Electric Drive (HED) system, balancing high-speed maneuvering and fuel efficiency.

Strategic Role

The Dasan Jeong Yak-Yong is the second destroyer in the three-ship KDX-III Batch II series. The first vessel, ROKS Jeongjo the Great, joined the fleet in 2024, and the final ship is expected by 2027.

Compared to earlier Batch I ships, these destroyers are larger, stealthier, and more heavily armed, giving South Korea an edge in ballistic missile defense and multi-domain warfare. They form a key element of the nation’s “Sea-Based Maneuvering Three-Axis System,” designed to integrate underwater kill chains, missile interception, and precision strike capabilities against evolving threats, particularly from North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs.

Symbolism & Naming

The destroyer takes its name from Dasan Jeong Yak-yong, a philosopher, engineer, and reformist of the Joseon dynasty, remembered for championing practical innovation, technological progress, and compassion for the people. By adopting his name, the ship symbolizes South Korea’s blending of heritage and high-tech defense capability.

Once delivered in 2026, the Dasan Jeong Yak-Yong will serve as one of the most advanced destroyers afloat, combining U.S. missile defense systems with Korean-developed technologies. Together with her sister ships, she will form the backbone of South Korea’s next-generation blue-water navy, strengthening deterrence and expanding operational reach across the Indo-Pacific.