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South Korea Launches First Aegis Destroyer
South Korea will launch its first Aegis destroyer at a shipyard in the southeastern port city of Ulsan at 3 a.m. Friday, becoming the fifth country in the world, following the U.S., Japan, Spain and Norway, to have such a warship, the Navy said.
The destroyer has been built by Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. at a cost of 1 trillion won ($1 billion).
Named after King Sejong, the fourth monarch of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) who helped create the Korean alphabet in the 15th century, the warship with a displacement of 7,600 tons is the most powerful in the Navy.
It is 166 meters long, 21 meters high, capable of cruising 30 knots (55.5 kilometers an hour) at the maximum speed and 20 knots at normal speed. It will be capable of covering 10,000 kilometers in one fueling.
Korea Times (Posted 5/25/07)