The Republic of Korea Navy (ROCN) holds a distinct numerical and quality advantage over its neighbor in the north. The service branch is made up of a well-balanced fighting force that includes all expected naval unit types short of dedicated fixed-wing aircraft carriers. The force is built with defense and deterrence in mind and relies heavily on its OPV fleet which makes up nearly 50% of all strength. Beyond this is a focus on submarines, destroyers, frigates, and corvettes while amphibious assault and mine warfare types take up their specialized roles as needed. While the North benefits from its alliance with China and its steadily-growing navy, the South can rely on the United States Navy and its vaunted carrier fleet as well as on some regional allies to an extent. The RoKN is set to be modernized through commitments in submarine, frigate, mine/countermine operations, and OPV warfare with multiple units on order.
The following represents an overview of the modern naval fighting capabilities of the Republic of Korea Navy (2023). The service currently counts 138 total units in its active naval inventory. This total includes frontline commissioned vessels but excludes smaller patrol vessels, auxiliary / survey ships, replenishment, and historical ceremonial types. The WDMMW review takes into account specific categories of warships covering attack, defense, and general support designs. Inventory numbers and related unit types are provided as-is and derived from publically-available information / sources. "On Order" totals found at the bottom of this article are related to any future hulls currently under procurement/construction though said hulls may not be delivered for service in the current year for various reasons.
Submarines (18)
Hulls developed for undersea/submersible operation; nuclear-powered or conventionally-powered.
Destroyers (12)
Multi-mission hulls developed for Blue Water environment; operating independently or as part of the main surface fleet.
Frigates (12)
Hulls defined as dimensionally smaller than Destroyers, though larger than corvettes, having Blue Water capabilities.
Corvettes (11)
Hulls defined as dimensionally smaller than frigates but larger than OPVs, capable of operating independently or as part of the main fighting fleet.
Mine Warfare (11)
Hulls outfitted for the purpose of mine countermeasures/countermine warfare.
Offshore Patrol Vessels (64)
Hulls defined as OPVs and outfitted for the purpose of close-to-shore defense / deterrence.
NOTES: The 41 aging Chamsuri-class PKM boats are set to be succeeded by the newer PKG Yoon Youngha-class and Chamsuri-class PKMR types.
Amphibious Assault (10)
Hulls designed specifically for the support of amphibious-minded, offshore / close-to-shore operations.
On Order (24)
Hulls set to be delivered in the current procurement year or in subsequent year(s).
On Order Commitment: 24 Units
