HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) launched the Republic of Korea Navy’s (ROKN) sixth Aegis-equipped guided-missile destroyer, the future ROKS Daeho Kim Jong-seo, at its Ulsan shipyard on Wednesday, September 30.
The sixth and final Sejong the Great-class ship will weigh about 8,200 tonnes upon completion. She will undergo testing before her scheduled delivery to the ROKN in December 2027.
The destroyer is 170 metres long and 21 metres wide. She will have a maximum speed of 30 knots courtesy of four gas turbines and two hybrid electric propulsion units.
The electric drive units will enable more economical operation during ordinary navigation.
HHI said the ship can detect and track targets at more than twice the capability of the first three Sejong the Great-class destroyers. The three newer ships can also intercept ballistic missiles, a capability the older ships lack.
In addition to being fitted with the Aegis combat system, the destroyer will carry an integrated sonar system developed domestically, and this will consist of both hull-mounted sonar and towed arrays. The arrays will provide low-frequency active and multifunction passive sonar.
The ship is also intended to carry ballistic missiles.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung was one of around 350 officials who attended Wednesday’s launch ceremony.
Construction of the future Daeho Kim Jong-seo began in 2024. Her earlier sister ROKS Dasan Jeong Yak-yong was launched at Ulsan in September 2025 and is scheduled for delivery this December.
Following Daeho Kim Jong-seo’s delivery and force-integration training, the ROKN’s planned Aegis force will comprise six Sejong the Great-class vessels from two batches. Daeho Kim Jong-Seo, Dasan Jeong Yak-yong and ROKS Jeongjo the Great, which is already in service, belong to batch II.
The latest ship is named after Kim Jong-seo, an early Joseon-era general associated with securing Korea’s northern frontier.
