HD Hyundai Heavy Industries celebrates ‘day of the Aegis destroyers’

From left: The ROKS Jeongjo the Great, the ROKS Dosan Jeong Yak-yong and the ROKS Daeho Kim Jong-seo DDG-II guided missile destroyers at the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ shipyard in Ulsan [HD HHI]

 

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ (HD HHI) three Aegis destroyers gathered at the shipbuilder’s Ulsan shipyard on Thursday.

 

The three DDG-II guided missile destroyers comprise the ROKS Jeongjo the Great, which was commissioned in November 2024 and is currently in active service by the Korean Navy; the ROKS Dosan Jeong Yak-yong, which finished construction
on Sept. 17, 2025, and is expected to be delivered in December; and the DDG Daeho Kim Jong-seo, which is currently being built.

 

The ROKS Jeongjo the Great returned to the Ulsan shipyard for maintenance. The ROKS Dosan Jeong Yak-yong is being tested at the shipyard before being delivered.

 

HD HHI proclaimed Feb. 19 as the “day of the Aegis destroyers” and invited the three captains of the destroyers to the shipyard for a celebration.

 

“I’m glad to have three Aegis destroyers, constructed with the world’s top technologies, gathered in our Ulsan yard,” said Joo Won-ho, the HD HHI president and head of the naval special ship business unit. 

 

“This is a symbolic moment that showcases the elevated status of our maritime defense on its 50th anniversary,” he added, referring to how HD HHI began developing the Ulsan-class frigate, Korea’s first domestic combat ship, in 1976. 

 

Since then, the company has built a total of 108 naval vessels and exported 20.  

BY CHO YONG-JUN [[email protected]]