ROKN’s new naval vessel quartet christened in Busan

12.12.2025 15:48

Navaltoday.com

South Korean shipbuilder HJ Shipbuilding & Construction (HJSC) has held a christening ceremony for four newly built high-speed naval vessels built to bolster the Republic of Korea Navy’s coastal defense capabilities.

Credit: HJ Shipbuilding & Construction (HJSC)

As informed, these units are the first four units constructed by HJSC under the ROK Navy’s PKX-B Batch-II acquisition program initiated in 2022. The ceremony took place on December 8, 2025, at HJSC’s Yeongdo Shipyard in Busan.

The new high-speed vessel, PKMR (Patrol-boat Killer Medium Rocket), is the ROK Navy’s next-generation patrol craft that will replace the aging Chamsuri-class (PKM) fleet and take on coastal defense missions. They come equipped with combat systems, 130 mm guided rockets, electronic warfare systems, and anti-missile decoy systems.

The water-jet propulsion system enables stable operations in near-shore and shallow-water environments without interference from fishing nets. Additional survivability enhancements include improved ballistic protection for vital areas, shock-resistant design, fire-resistant bulkheads, and stealth construction techniques.

HJSC previously delivered all 16 vessels under the PKX-B Batch-I program commissioned by DAPA. Building on this track record, the multinational shipbuilder has also won all 12 vessels ordered to date under the improved Batch-II program.

HJSC bags order for construction of four more high-speed patrol ships for ROKN

Vessels

“Since the launch of the first next-generation patrol vessel in 2016, we have successfully delivered a total of 20 PKMR vessels,” an HJSC official stated.

“Building on our accumulated technical expertise and proven construction experience as a specialized naval shipbuilder, we will continue contributing to strengthening the global reputation of K-defense.”