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South Korea Navy and Marine Corps
In 1990 the navy and marine corps remained small forces
primarily dedicated to protecting the nation's territorial waters
and islands, respectively. There was one large naval base at
Chinhae, and seven small naval stations located at Cheju,
Inch'on, Mokp'o, Mukho, Pukp'yong-ni, P'ohang, and Pusan. Both
the navy and marine corps were subordinate to the chief of naval
operations, who was a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The
navy, with 35,000 personnel, was organized into three fleet
commands and separate commands for aviation, amphibious
operations, mine warfare, training, and logistics--all
subordinate to the first vice chief of naval operations. The
marine corps, with 25,000 personnel, was organized into two
divisions and one brigade under the Marine Corps Command.
Although part of the navy, marine units often operated under army
control.
During the 1980s, the navy's modernization program focused on
antisubmarine warfare and the deployment of new types of
indigenously produced submarines, frigates, missile-equipped fast
attack craft, and patrol boats. Naval vessels deployed with the
Eastern, Western, and Southern fleets were equipped with modern
sonar equipment, depth charges, and torpedoes to counter more
effectively North Korea's growing submarine force (see
table 18,
Appendix). Two types of United States-produced and one type of
French-produced shipborne surface-to-surface and surface-to-air
missiles were used by the navy on its destroyers, frigates, and
fast attack craft. United States-produced Harpoon surface-to-
surface missiles, with a ninety-kilometer range, were deployed on
Gearing-class destroyers, Ulsan-class frigates, and Paegu-class
fast attack craft derived from the Ashville-class. Frenchproduced Exocet surface-to-surface missiles, with a seventykilometer range, were employed on Donghae frigates and Kirogiclass fast attack craft. Paegu fast attack craft were equipped
with United States-produced Standard surface-to-air missiles.
The Naval Aviation Command and the Naval Amphibious Command
operated small fleets of aircraft and landing craft,
respectively, to support naval fleet and marine corps operations.
Twenty-five Grumman S-2 aircraft, twenty-five Hughes 500-MD
helicopters, and ten Bell SA-316 helicopters were shore based.
They were deployed for surveillance of surface ships and for
antisubmarine warfare.
The marine corps was assigned the defense of the Han River
estuary and five northwestern islands located close to North
Korea. The Naval Amphibious Command operated fifty-two amphibious
craft in support of the marine corps.
Data as of June 1990
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