Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

“Admit no NLL violation, even 1㎜”

Deployed destroyer and LYNX in the East and West Sea at the same time

“Enemy patrol boat contact!”

“Azimuth 340, distance 18,000, moving southward at 30 knots!”

On January 8, the day a cold wave watch was issued, on the Sea 120km southwest of a naval port in Pyeongtaek. The combat information center of Eulji Mundeok Ham, DDH-972, the 2nd Fleet, caught a virtual enemy patrol boat moving southward to the NLL in the Yellow Sea during tactical maneuvers.

Eulji Mundeok Ham relayed the situation to maritime action groups such as frigate(FF), patrol combat corvette(PCC), Patrol Killer Guided missile(PKG), etc. Sailors of each fleet immediately completed preparation-for combat in perfect order, and the maritime operation helicopter, Lynx also observed the enemy patrol boat closely, providing against contingencies.

Eulji Mundeok Ham sent a warning message, “You’ve violated the territorial waters of Korea. Move northward immediately.” However, the enemy patrol boat was unresponsive to the message and even kept its sea route in spite of warning shots of the maritime action groups.

“Target azimuth ○○○, distance ○○○○, All the artillery! Aim and fire!”

The maritime combat group dashed into gunshot. There went up a waterfall-like column of water around an aluminum target 45㎝ in width and 195㎝ in height towed by the patrol frigate. And the group checked the distance and azimuth, then reloaded and fired all at once. 12.7㎜ K-6 heavy machine gun of Lynx also fired.

Although the wave ran up to 2.5m and a strong wind blew, sailors were full of determination that they allow no enemy provocation. At the same time, on the sea south of Ulleungdo, the maritime combat group of the 1st Fleet had a training reminiscent of actual warfare.

They cemented their will to protect our East Sea through maneuvers to armed protest according to the southward advance of the enemy patrol boat, naval bombardment, and dropping of a depth bomb right after spotting enemy submarine.

# Victorious and elite Navy by establishing a readiness posture

For the New Year, the Navy had tactical maneuvers in the East and West Sea and  conducted shooting training to promote a will to fight and win at any cost.

The best gunnery battleship 3,200-ton class destroyer, Eulji Mundeok Ham, 14 surface ship including FF, PCC, PKG, patrol killer, medium(PKM), etc., and two maritime operation helicopters were deployed for this training.

Captain Shin Hee-Han, a commander of the training division, who planned the training said, “The reason for the existence of the Navy is to ensure a complete victory by restraining the enemy’s provocation and using force to punish them when they provoke us. We will back up the prosperity of Korea with the best military readiness posture.”

For the 70th anniversary of foundation of the Navy, it has been making maximum effort to establish readiness to be reborn as a victorious and elite Navy that puts fear into the enemy and receive trust and love from all the nation.

As part of the effort, the Navy checked on a combat system of fleets and aircraft, and performance of combat shells as well as greatly reinforced actual environment training to cultivate soldiers’ weapons operation ability.

It is also planning to build up its readiness and punishment posture, not accepting the NLL violation based on those training.

By Byeong-No, Yun < trylover@dema.mil.kr >
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