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A farewell event for the Gwangmyeong corvette took place at the Jinhae Naval Base in Jinhae-gu, Changwon City, South Gyeongsang Province, on the 26th. The Gwangmyeong, a 1,000-ton Pohang-class corvette, protected our maritime borders for 36 years, including the destruction of a North Korean semi-submarine through gunfire in 1998.

The Gwangmyeong is the 22nd ship in the Pohang-class fleet. Constructed at the Korea Tacoma Shipyard in 1989, it was put into service in July 1990. The navy mentioned that it has been actively involved in South Korea’s naval defense, carrying out maritime security operations under the 1st Fleet Command and the 3rd Fleet Command, among other units.

The Gwangmyeong is fitted with 76 mm and 40 mm artillery guns, anti-ship missiles, and lightweight torpedoes. In December 1998, it successfully engaged a North Korean semi-submersible that had entered the waters near Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, after tracking it for seven hours and ultimately destroying it using gunfire. In 2017, it was also recognized as the navy’s premier gunnery combat vessel, designated as the ‘Top Gun’ ship.

Furthermore, in May 2015, it was instrumental in maritime safety operations by saving 12 crew members following a fire on a fishing boat near Sokcho.

The farewell event was graced by Admiral Kim Kyung-ryul, head of the Republic of Korea Fleet, alongside former leaders and crew members of the Gwangmyeong, as well as senior officers from the Jinhae area.

During the event, Admiral Kim remarked, “The Gwangmyeong has effectively fulfilled its role in safeguarding South Korea’s maritime borders as a vital component of the fleet,” and continued, “The legacy it has created and its distinguished accomplishments will be eternally documented in the annals of the navy.”

Following the retirement ceremony, the Gwangmyeong will be formally taken out of service on the 31st. The navy intends to progressively retire older corvettes, such as the Gwangmyeong, and substitute them with new frigates (FFG). The Incheon-class (2,500-ton), Daegu-class (3,100-ton), and Chungnam-class (3,600-ton) frigates are set to be deployed one after another to each fleet.