Pohang class corvette
Encyclopedia
The Pohang class (Korean
: 포항급, Hanja
: 浦項級) corvette
is a class of general purpose vessels operated by the Republic of Korea Navy
. They have served in a coastal defense role during the late Cold War
and post Cold War period.
A total of 24 Pohang-class vessels were built, all constructed in South Korea. 21 vessels remain in service.
, causing a power stoppage and inflow of oil and seawater, and the ship heeled 90 degrees to starboard very quickly. When the crew went out to the deck, they found the stern already submerged. At 22:40, the Navy and the Coast Guard rescued 58 sailors, including the captain, from the crew of 104; 46 were killed. The ship sank around 01:00 on 27 March 2010.
The bow floated 6.4 kilometres (3.5 nmi) to the southeast from the explosion site, then submerged completely at 22:30 on 27 March 2010.
On May 20, 2010, a South Korean-led investigation group announced that all evidence pointed to a North Korean torpedo being responsible for the sinking of the Cheonan.
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
: 포항급, Hanja
Hanja
Hanja is the Korean name for the Chinese characters hanzi. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation...
: 浦項級) corvette
Corvette
A corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, originally smaller than a frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft or fast attack craft , although many recent designs resemble frigates in size and role...
is a class of general purpose vessels operated by the Republic of Korea Navy
Republic of Korea Navy
The Republic of Korea Navy or the ROK Navy is the branch of the South Korean armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations and amphibious landing operations. The ROK Navy includes the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, which is a quasi-autonomous organization...
. They have served in a coastal defense role during the late Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
and post Cold War period.
A total of 24 Pohang-class vessels were built, all constructed in South Korea. 21 vessels remain in service.
Ships in the class
- Early type (mainly antiship)
- ROKS Pohang — retired 30 June 2009
- ROKS GunsanROKS Gunsan (PCC-757)ROKS Gunsan is a South Korean Pohang-class corvette of the Republic of Korea Navy . The ship is named after the South Korean city of Gunsan.-Korean Navy Service:On 1984, ROKS Gunsan was commissioned into the Korean Navy....
— retired 29 September 2011, to be transferred to the Colombian Navy - ROKS Gyeongju
- ROKS Mokpo
- Later type (mainly antisubmarine)
- ROKS Gimcheon
- ROKS Chungju
- ROKS Jinju
- ROKS Yeosu
- ROKS Jinhae
- ROKS Suncheon
- ROKS Iri
- ROKS Wonju
- ROKS Andong
- ROKS CheonanROKS Cheonan (PCC-772)ROKS Cheonan was a South Korean Pohang-class corvette of the Republic of Korea Navy , commissioned in 1989. On 26 March 2010, it broke in two and sank near the sea border with North Korea...
— sunk 26 March 2010 - ROKS Bucheon
- ROKS Seongnam
- ROKS Jecheon
- ROKS Daecheon
- ROKS SokchoROKS Sokcho (PCC-778)ROKS Sokcho is a South Korean Pohang-class corvette of the Republic of Korea Navy . It was in the vicinity at the time of the sinking of the ROKS Cheonan and is reported to have fired shots at a possible target that it identified at that time.-Armament:The ship's armament consists of:*Boeing...
- ROKS Yeongju
- ROKS Namwon
- ROKS Gwangmyeong
- Later Type (mainly antiaircraft)
- ROKS Sinseong
- ROKS Gongju
| Name | Number | Builder | Launched | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Status |
| Early Type | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pohang | PCC-756 | Korea Shipbuilding Corporation (now Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. is a Korean shipbuilding company, founded in 1937. It is a multinational company, and is an affiliate of the Hanjin Group.- Situation :... ) |
4 May 1982 | 18 December 1984 | 30 June 2009 | Used as a museum ship Museum ship A museum ship, or sometimes memorial ship, is a ship that has been preserved and converted into a museum open to the public, for educational or memorial purposes... in Pohang Pohang Pohang is a city in North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, and a main seaport in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region. The built-up area of Pohang is located on the alluvium of the mouth of the Hyeongsan River... city |
| Gunsan | PCC-757 | Korea Takoma Shipyard (now Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. is a Korean shipbuilding company, founded in 1937. It is a multinational company, and is an affiliate of the Hanjin Group.- Situation :... ) |
30 November 1984 | 29 September 2011 | To Be Donated to Colombian Navy | |
| Gyeongju | PCC-758 | Hyundai Heavy Industries Hyundai Heavy Industries Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. is the world's largest shipbuilding company, headquartered in Ulsan, South Korea. The company is a subsidiary of Hyundai Heavy Industries Group... |
1986 | Active | ||
| Mokpo | PCC-759 | Daewoo S&M Engineering Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd ' is the second largest shipbuilder in the world and one of the "Big Three" shipbuilders of South Korea.On 21 February 2011, the A. P... |
1986 | Active | ||
| Later Type | ||||||
| Gimcheon | PCC-761 | Korea Shipbuilding Corporation (now Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. is a Korean shipbuilding company, founded in 1937. It is a multinational company, and is an affiliate of the Hanjin Group.- Situation :... ) |
1987 | Active | ||
| Chungju | PCC-762 | Korea Takoma Shipyard (now Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. is a Korean shipbuilding company, founded in 1937. It is a multinational company, and is an affiliate of the Hanjin Group.- Situation :... ) |
1987 | Active | ||
| Jinju | PCC-763 | Hyundai Heavy Industries Hyundai Heavy Industries Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. is the world's largest shipbuilding company, headquartered in Ulsan, South Korea. The company is a subsidiary of Hyundai Heavy Industries Group... |
1988 | Active | ||
| Yeosu | PCC-765 | Daewoo S&M Engineering Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd ' is the second largest shipbuilder in the world and one of the "Big Three" shipbuilders of South Korea.On 21 February 2011, the A. P... |
1988 | Active | ||
| Jinhae | PCC-766 | Korea Shipbuilding Corporation (now Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. is a Korean shipbuilding company, founded in 1937. It is a multinational company, and is an affiliate of the Hanjin Group.- Situation :... ) |
1990 | Active | ||
| Suncheon | PCC-767 | Korea Takoma Shipyard (now Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. is a Korean shipbuilding company, founded in 1937. It is a multinational company, and is an affiliate of the Hanjin Group.- Situation :... ) |
1989 | Active | ||
| Iri | PCC-768 | Hyundai Heavy Industries Hyundai Heavy Industries Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. is the world's largest shipbuilding company, headquartered in Ulsan, South Korea. The company is a subsidiary of Hyundai Heavy Industries Group... |
1989 | Active | ||
| Wonju | PCC-769 | Daewoo S&M Engineering Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd ' is the second largest shipbuilder in the world and one of the "Big Three" shipbuilders of South Korea.On 21 February 2011, the A. P... |
1989 | Active | ||
| Andong | PCC-771 | Korea Shipbuilding Corporation (now Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. is a Korean shipbuilding company, founded in 1937. It is a multinational company, and is an affiliate of the Hanjin Group.- Situation :... ) |
1989 | Active | ||
| Cheonan | PCC-772 | Korea Shipbuilding Corporation (now Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. is a Korean shipbuilding company, founded in 1937. It is a multinational company, and is an affiliate of the Hanjin Group.- Situation :... ) |
1989 | 1989 | 26 March 2010 | Sunk, allegedly by torpedo attack from DPRK |
| Bucheon | PCC-773 | Hyundai Heavy Industries Hyundai Heavy Industries Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. is the world's largest shipbuilding company, headquartered in Ulsan, South Korea. The company is a subsidiary of Hyundai Heavy Industries Group... |
1990 | Active | ||
| Seongnam | PCC-775 | Daewoo S&M Engineering Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd ' is the second largest shipbuilder in the world and one of the "Big Three" shipbuilders of South Korea.On 21 February 2011, the A. P... |
1990 | Active | ||
| Jecheon | PCC-776 | Korea Takoma Shipyard (now Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. is a Korean shipbuilding company, founded in 1937. It is a multinational company, and is an affiliate of the Hanjin Group.- Situation :... ) |
1990 | Active | ||
| Daecheon | PCC-777 | Hyundai Heavy Industries Hyundai Heavy Industries Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. is the world's largest shipbuilding company, headquartered in Ulsan, South Korea. The company is a subsidiary of Hyundai Heavy Industries Group... |
1991 | Active | ||
| Sokcho ROKS Sokcho (PCC-778) ROKS Sokcho is a South Korean Pohang-class corvette of the Republic of Korea Navy . It was in the vicinity at the time of the sinking of the ROKS Cheonan and is reported to have fired shots at a possible target that it identified at that time.-Armament:The ship's armament consists of:*Boeing... |
PCC-778 | Hyundai Heavy Industries Hyundai Heavy Industries Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. is the world's largest shipbuilding company, headquartered in Ulsan, South Korea. The company is a subsidiary of Hyundai Heavy Industries Group... |
1991 | Active | ||
| Yeongju | PCC-779 | Hyundai Heavy Industries Hyundai Heavy Industries Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. is the world's largest shipbuilding company, headquartered in Ulsan, South Korea. The company is a subsidiary of Hyundai Heavy Industries Group... |
1991 | Active | ||
| Namwon | PCC-781 | Daewoo S&M Engineering Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd ' is the second largest shipbuilder in the world and one of the "Big Three" shipbuilders of South Korea.On 21 February 2011, the A. P... |
1991 | Active | ||
| Gwangmyeong | PCC-782 | Korea Takoma Shipyard (now Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. is a Korean shipbuilding company, founded in 1937. It is a multinational company, and is an affiliate of the Hanjin Group.- Situation :... ) |
1991 | Active | ||
| Sinseong | PCC-783 | Korea Shipbuilding Corporation (now Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. is a Korean shipbuilding company, founded in 1937. It is a multinational company, and is an affiliate of the Hanjin Group.- Situation :... ) |
1992 | Active | ||
| Gongju | PCC-785 | Korea Takoma Shipyard (now Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. is a Korean shipbuilding company, founded in 1937. It is a multinational company, and is an affiliate of the Hanjin Group.- Situation :... ) |
1993 | Active | ||
Sinking of ROKS Cheonan
At 21:21:57 (12:21:57 UTC) of 26 March 2010, an explosion (or two explosions) occurred for 1~2 seconds at the stern of ROKS CheonanROKS Cheonan (PCC-772)
ROKS Cheonan was a South Korean Pohang-class corvette of the Republic of Korea Navy , commissioned in 1989. On 26 March 2010, it broke in two and sank near the sea border with North Korea...
, causing a power stoppage and inflow of oil and seawater, and the ship heeled 90 degrees to starboard very quickly. When the crew went out to the deck, they found the stern already submerged. At 22:40, the Navy and the Coast Guard rescued 58 sailors, including the captain, from the crew of 104; 46 were killed. The ship sank around 01:00 on 27 March 2010.
The bow floated 6.4 kilometres (3.5 nmi) to the southeast from the explosion site, then submerged completely at 22:30 on 27 March 2010.
On May 20, 2010, a South Korean-led investigation group announced that all evidence pointed to a North Korean torpedo being responsible for the sinking of the Cheonan.
External links
- Pohang patrol combat corvette. GlobalSecurity.org.