Key facts
- South Korea's flagship submarine, the ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, completed its longest voyage.
- The submarine traveled 28,000 kilometers across the Pacific Ocean over 161 days.
- The voyage included participation in the RIMPAC multinational drills and port calls in Hawaii and Guam.
- The submarine also visited Victoria, Canada, demonstrating interoperability with the Royal Canadian Navy.
- This journey marks a milestone for South Korea's indigenous naval technology.
The South Korean Navy's flagship submarine, the ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, has returned to its home port after completing its longest-ever voyage across the Pacific Ocean. The 3,000-ton indigenous vessel departed the Jinhae Naval Base on March 25 and arrived back on September 1, marking a 161-day journey covering 28,000 kilometers.
During its extensive deployment, the submarine participated in the U.S.-led Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) multinational drills, making port calls in Hawaii and Guam. Following RIMPAC, the Dosan Ahn Chang-ho traveled to Victoria, Canada, in May for combined drills with the Royal Canadian Navy, demonstrating interoperability and multinational command capabilities.
The Navy highlighted the voyage as a significant achievement, showcasing the operational endurance, equipment reliability, and crew habitability of South Korea's advanced, domestically built warship to the international community. During the RIMPAC exercises, the submarine successfully executed 28 simulated attacks without being detected, underscoring its combat and stealth capabilities.