3 new vessels to cost 366 billion won; 51.2 billion won earmarked for next year

The government plans to increase the number of 3,000-ton Korea Coast Guard patrol vessels operating in the West Sea's broad maritime zone and undelimited waters to 17 by 2030, bolstering maritime sovereignty in the area. It will also build additional 500-ton vessels dedicated to cracking down on illegal foreign fishing boats and introduce coastal patrol drones.

The Ministry of Planning and Budget and the Korea Coast Guard said Monday they visited the West Sea Five Islands Special Guard Unit, a dedicated pier for the Incheon Coast Guard and the Yeongjongdo Sky-Sea Police Box to inspect key project sites ahead of the 2027 Korea Coast Guard budget proposal.

A 3,000-ton patrol vessel operating in the West Sea [Ministry of Planning and Budget]
A 3,000-ton patrol vessel operating in the West Sea [Ministry of Planning and Budget]

The government plans to expand its fleet of 3,000-ton patrol vessels, which carry out long-range, extended patrol missions, to strengthen maritime security across key West Sea zones. While the fleet has largely been replenished by replacing aging vessels, the latest push aims to build up operational capacity to defend maritime sovereignty in areas including the Sino-Korean provisional measures zone.

The fleet stood at 11 vessels last year. One ship was added in February this year and another is set to follow in October, with one more planned for the second half of next year and three additional vessels between 2027 and 2030, bringing the total to 17 by 2030. The 2027 budget proposal includes 43.9 billion won ($31.7 million) to complete construction of one vessel currently being built, along with 51.2 billion won to begin work on three new ships. The total project cost for the three new vessels is 366 billion won.

The government is also stepping up enforcement capacity and field personnel support to counter illegal foreign fishing vessels. Following the start of construction this year on two 500-ton dedicated enforcement vessels, the budget sets aside 9 billion won to begin building two more next year. The total project cost for the additional two vessels is 90 billion won. These ships will conduct pursuit, interception and on-site enforcement operations in waters near the Northern Limit Line in the West Sea, where illegal foreign fishing vessels frequently appear.

Safety support for the maritime special operations unit — which handles high-risk enforcement tasks such as boarding, subduing and seizing vessels — will also be expanded. The budget for personal protective equipment, including maritime suppression suits and stab-resistant buoyancy vests, will rise from 1.4 billion won to 2.5 billion won, while 2.1 billion won will go toward improving the unit's training facilities.

Unmanned equipment will also be deployed for coastal safety operations. The government plans to roll out 22 coastal patrol drones next year as an initial deployment, then expand the program in stages through 2029 based on operational results.

Reflecting these investments in patrol, enforcement and safety, the 2027 Korea Coast Guard budget proposal has been set at 2.23 trillion won — up 140.6 billion won, or 6.7 percent, from this year's 2.09 trillion won.


y2k@heraldcorp.com