Posture and Role of South Korean Assault Ships

Because yesterday Aug 15, was the anniversary of the liberation of Korea from the Japanese occupation, broadcast content in South Korea was characterized by various historical and patriotic national themes. Obviously, there would be a focus on the brutal experience of Japanese occupation, forced labor and so called comfort women themes where ordinary Koreans were subject to forced deportation, slave labor, torture, murder, rape and other human rights violations. On a more positive note President Moon focused on the potential for cooperation with North Korea, to deliver on the longer term promise that liberation from Japanese occupation failed to achieve, namely the national aspiration for unification.

Apart from the historical themes, the item that most interested me, was a look at the Korean Dokdoham, the helicopter carrying assault ship of the Korean Navy, and the prospect for additional ships of this nature in the future. Korea is a land of over three thousand islands, many of which don't support human habitation, but serve as fishery resources, or nature preserves, or are simply rocks in the sea. Many are beautiful tourist spots. The single commissioned assault ship, Dokdoham, commissioned in 2009, is named after the island Dokdo in the Sea of Japan, which the Koreans call the East Sea. The ship's name is said to reflect the determination of the Korean people to protect their islands. Naturally, the island group and surrounding maritime zone is subject to a territorial dispute with Japan, the details of which can be put aside for the purposes here.

Nevertheless, the dispute is not some obscure historical issue but manifested recently when the Japanese complained about Korean representations of the unified map of Korea at the recent Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, which showed the islands as part of a unified Korea. The South Korean government maintains a military observation post on the island.

The presentation on the Dokdoham on Channel A News, and it's planned follow on ships in the same class, did a comparison of this recent naval effort by the South Korean military in comparison to the Japanese navy's assault ships, categorizing the power projection capabilities of each side. The Dokdoham and it's follow on ship, the Maradoham didn't fare well in the comparisons.

One can look to references for the outfitting and mission characteristics of the Dokdo class. The second ship of this class Maradoham was launched in May 2018, and is expected to be commissioned in 2020. The Diplomat carried an interesting article by Robert Farley discussing the role of the latter ship.

https://thediplomat.com/2018/05/south-koreas-second-dokdo-class-assault-carrier-and-the-future-of-the-rokn/

The Dokdo class assault ship, is about 200 meters long, and can spot about seven UH 60 helicopters according to Channel A news. It can also carry seven armored vehicles and about 700 marines. Channel A did comparisons to the Japanese Hyuaga class assault ships and also the larger Izumo class Japanese carriers, which according to A channel can spot 18 and 28 aircraft respectively.

Neither the Doktoham nor the Maradoham is regarded as having the capabilities necessary to support F35 VSTOL operations. Conceivably a future follow on, referred to as the Bekryeongdoham, (named after another Korean island in the West Sea disputed maritime area off the North Korean coast) would be able to support these aircraft. Channel A News anticipated that such a ship could be launched in the 2020-2030 period. They projected that the ship could support 20 aircraft total. Currently, the South Korean military has operational problems with the Saurion helicopter and the Hesong missiles planned for future use on their assault ships.

Robert Farley in his Diplomat article, South Korea's Second Dokdo-class Assault Carrier and the Future of the ROKN, concludes that the problem for South Korea is rationalizing the major expense of even larger carriers with a strategic justification. The names of the smaller assault carriers imply their justification, the ability to protect their national islands. The ROK navy will not be able to compete with the Japanese Navy in the foreseeable future as the Channel A presentation on the subject yesterday depicts. The Channel A Top Ten military discussion tacitly offers a message to North Korea on rising Japanese naval power and the inescapable conclusion that US military and naval presence is the only likely friendly offset in the area.