South Korea's submarine ambitions

The 14,000km voyage across the Pacific Ocean by the Dosan Ahn Chang-ho submarine demonstrates South Korea's ambition not only to secure lucrative commercial contracts but also to prepare for a future nuclear-powered submarine program.

The submarine Dosan Ahn Chang-ho docked at the Esquimalt naval base in Canada on May 23. Photo: The Chosun Daily

Departing from its home country on March 25, the 3,000-ton diesel-electric submarine Dosan Ahn Chang-ho sailed past the US islands of Guam and Hawaii before arriving at Esquimalt Naval Port in Victoria, Canada, on May 23. This marks the first time a South Korean submarine has undertaken a trans-Pacific voyage of approximately 14,000 km.

Along with the 3,100-ton escort destroyer Daejeon, the South Korean submarine will participate in joint exercises with the Royal Canadian Navy and then continue to participate in a multinational exercise led by the United States in Hawaii at the end of June before returning home.

Dosan Ahn Chang-ho's months-long voyage was an attempt to demonstrate the true capabilities of South Korea's domestically produced submarines, amidst a race by the country's shipbuilders to win a contract worth nearly $40 billion to build 12 submarines for the Canadian Navy.

The Dosan Ahn Chang-ho submarine was built by Hanwha Ocean Group. It is the world's first class of diesel-electric submarine equipped with vertical launch tubes for submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

Currently, Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries are forming a consortium to bid on a new submarine for Canada, alongside competitor Thyssenkrupp of Germany, in collaboration with a Norwegian partner. The Canadian government is expected to announce the winning bidder in June, aiming to have the new submarines by 2032 to replace its four aging Victoria-class submarines.

Determined to secure this crucial contract, Hanwha Ocean has been relentlessly promoting the Dosan Ahn Chang-ho submarine in Canada over the past few months, attempting to establish its brand as a household name in Ottawa. The South Korean company also stated it will manufacture its military equipment in Canada in collaboration with local industries, including self-propelled artillery, missile launchers, and armored personnel carriers. Korean officials have also directly approached Canadian partners to support their domestic company in securing this lucrative contract.

However, Thyssenkrupp is a formidable competitor, as they come from a NATO ally of Canada and enjoy the backing of both the German and Norwegian governments. The long-standing German submarine manufacturer has also promised to bring Canadian companies into its supply chain and participate in other potential tenders.

The South Korean government is pushing ahead with the announcement of the “Basic Plan for Korean-Style Nuclear Submarines,” marking the formalization of the nuclear-powered submarine development project, which has long been considered a strategic goal of the military.

A major turning point came in October 2025 when South Korean and US leaders reached an agreement on cooperation related to nuclear submarines on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju. In a joint explanatory document following the talks, the US side stated that Washington approved South Korea's construction of nuclear submarines and would cooperate closely with Seoul, including on the issue of supplying the necessary fuel for the project.

During his recent visit to the United States, South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-Back also met with U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, the acting Secretary of the Navy, and several U.S. lawmakers to discuss cooperation options in the field of nuclear submarine construction.

Nuclear submarines are considered a highly valuable strategic asset. Using small nuclear reactors as engines, these submarines can theoretically operate underwater for months without refueling, while also achieving superior speeds compared to conventional diesel submarines. The South Korean military previously considered building at least four nuclear submarines with a displacement of over 5,000 tons by the latter half of 2030. Since this would be the first time South Korea has used nuclear reactors for military purposes on submarines, the government is also pushing for the creation of a "Special Act on Nuclear Submarines" to establish a system for managing nuclear energy for national defense.

DUC TRUNG

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/tham-vong-tau-ngam-cua-han-quoc-a205502.html