The Navy has named its latest 3,600-ton submarine, the second vessel of the Jangbogo-III Batch-II class, after Seohui (942–998), a renowned diplomat of the Goryeo Dynasty.
The Navy said Wednesday that it designated the second Jangbogo-III Batch-II submarine, part of the Jang Yeong-sil-class, as the "Seohui" through the Naval Headquarters' vessel naming committee.
When the Khitan invaded Goryeo with a large army, Seohui approached the enemy commander and persuaded him that avoiding war would also benefit the Khitan, leading to the withdrawal of enemy forces and the acquisition of the six districts east of the Yalu River.
"We assessed that the outstanding military and diplomatic achievements of the eminent statesman Seohui and his spirit of overcoming national crises are fitting for the name of a submarine, a core force for maritime defense," the Navy explained.
The first Jangbogo-III Batch-II submarine is named the "Jang Yeong-sil," and subsequent vessels are classified as the "Jang Yeong-sil-class." The Jangbogo-III Batch-II is also the model Korea has proposed for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP), for which the announcement of a preferred bidder is imminent.
The Seohui is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy in 2028. While the launch ceremony date has not been confirmed, the launch is expected in the second half of this year.
Meanwhile, the Navy named the fifth vessel of its new 3,600-ton frigate class—measuring 129 meters in length and 14.8 meters in width—the "Pyeongtaek." The Navy has traditionally named frigates after special and metropolitan cities, provinces, provincial capitals, and mid-sized and small cities.
The Pyeongtaek is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy next year.
