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HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Delivers State-of-the-Art Aegis Destroyer Jeongjo the Great to ROK Navy
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Delivers State-of-the-Art Aegis Destroyer Jeongjo the Great to ROK Navy
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) has officially handed over the ROKS Jeongjo the Great (DDG), Korea’s newest world-class Aegis destroyer, to the Republic of Korea Navy.
On November 27, HD HHI held a delivery signing ceremony at its Ulsan headquarters for the 8,200-ton Jeongjo the Great, the first ship of the KDX-III Batch-II class. The event was attended by Cho Hyun-ki, Director General of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration’s Force Support Program, Rear Admiral Kwak Kwang-seop, Director of Naval Headquarters’ Plans and Management, Rear Admiral Park Tae-kyu, Commander of the Navy’s 8th Combat Training Squadron, as well as Ulsan City Council Vice Chairman Kim Jong-seop. From HD HHI, CEO Lee Sang-gyun and Vice President Joo Won-ho, Head of the Special & Naval Ship Business Unit, joined the ceremony.
Also present were international dignitaries including U.S. Consul General Nolan Barkhouse, Ecuadorian Ambassador to Korea Patricio Esteban Troya Suarez, Polish Chargé d’Affaires Artur Gradziuk, and representatives from Morocco, Chile, Thailand, and Peru, among others—over 20 officials from seven countries who came to witness the excellence of Korean naval shipbuilding. Following the ceremony, the guests toured the yard to view the new frigate ROKS Chungnam, which is scheduled for Navy delivery next month.
The Jeongjo the Great is the fourth Aegis destroyer designed and built in Korea with indigenous technology. It is equipped with the latest Aegis Combat System, multifunction phased-array radar, Korea’s independently developed integrated sonar suite, the Korean Vertical Launching System (KVLS), and ballistic missile interceptors, giving it full-spectrum capability to detect, track, and intercept ballistic missiles.
Construction milestones include the contract signing in 2019, keel laying in 2021, and launch in July 2022. The ship successfully completed more than 550 rigorous trials, including maximum speed tests, before timely delivery to the Navy.
With this achievement, HD HHI further enhances its reputation for excellence in performance, cost control, and delivery schedules. The ship follows on-time deliveries of key naval assets including the ROKS Cheonan and ROKS Chuncheon frigates and the 3,000-ton submarine ROKS Shin Chae-ho. The Jeongjo the Great attracted wide international attention during its construction, with visits from major global defense officials, including U.S. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro.
Joo Won-ho, Head of HD HHI’s Special & Naval Ship Business Unit, said:
“We are proud to deliver one of the world’s most advanced Aegis destroyers through close collaboration with DAPA, the Navy, ADD, and DTaQ. HD Hyundai will continue to work with the government as ‘Team Korea, Team Shipbuilding’ to drive K-defense exports worldwide.”
Looking ahead, HD HHI is preparing for the launch of the second Batch-II destroyer next year, has already begun construction of the third unit, and continues to lead naval exports, including the upcoming delivery of a Philippine offshore patrol vessel and joint development of four naval ships for Peru.
