Hanwha Ocean launches Seo Hui; National Assembly Speaker Cho Jung-sik calls it “a symbol of K-defense reaching the highest level”

[Financial News] National Assembly Speaker Cho Jung-sik praised the 3,600-ton-class state-of-the-art submarine Seo Hui, built using South Korea’s own technology, calling it “a proud symbol showing that K-defense technology has reached the world’s highest level.”
Cho made the remarks while attending Seo Hui’s launching ceremony on the day at Hanwha Ocean’s Okpo Shipyard in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province. Seo Hui, the second vessel in the Jangbogo-III Batch-II series, was put to sea five years after Hanwha Ocean signed the construction contract in 2021.
Seo Hui is distinguished by improved operational performance based on domestic technology. Its domestically produced lithium-battery system has extended its submerged endurance and the time it can travel at maximum speed compared with existing submarines. Its combat system, which integrates sonar systems and various types of detection data to support weapons operations, has also been improved. Technologies that reduce noise and vibration have enhanced its stealth, a key competitive advantage for a submarine.
Cho said, “Our country, which could not even build a decent patrol boat just after the government was established, has now risen to become a maritime power that designs and builds strategic submarines among the world’s best using our own technology.”
He also urged that the strengthened operational capabilities of Seo Hui be used to protect the sea routes that are our country’s ‘lifeline.’ Cho stressed, “Since 99.7% of our import and export cargo travels by sea, safely protecting maritime routes is the same as protecting people’s daily lives and the South Korean economy. Seo Hui is a key national strategic asset for safeguarding maritime sovereignty, a powerful deterrent that instills fear in the enemy, and a resolve to protect our territorial waters with our own strength.”
Meanwhile, Hanwha Ocean is determined to increase the domestic content of its submarines and pursue exports overseas. Seo Hui is equipped with a total of 70 types of domestically produced equipment. Compared with the Dosan Ahn Changho class, an additional 12 types of equipment, including the lithium-battery system, have been localized. Submarines are a prime example of high-value-added vessels for which demand for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) and capability upgrades continues for decades after construction. The higher the domestic content, the more the company can expand its revenue base through long-term parts supply and maintenance work, in addition to the initial construction contract, when it wins an overseas order.
[email protected] Kim Yun-ho Reporter