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Submarine Proliferation

South Korea Export Behavior

Capabilities | Import | Export

South Korean Submarines. Source: Korean Navy Website,  http://www.navy.mil.kr.

In 2003, South Korea and Indonesia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defense sector cooperation. Aside from upgrading Indonesian military equipment, South Korea will also replace engines on Indonesia's Type 209/1300 submarines at its shipyards.[1] This MoU followed earlier talks on this subject, including on the possible joint production of vessels.[2] More importantly, it has also been reported that Indonesia is interested in acquiring two of South Korea's Type 209/1200 Chang Bogo-class submarines.[3] However, such a sale would require the consent of the German government, since the submarines were built from a German design. 

Judging by South Korea's continued domestic design endeavors and confidence in its ability to construct submarines, as witnessed by building the entire class of its new Type 214 vessels, South Korea is likely to succeed in developing an indigenous design and construction capacity in the near future. This has been confirmed by South Korean officials, who state that the next generation submarine will be designed and constructed using domestic technology, including torpedoes, countermeasure systems, sonar arrays, and even combat systems.[4] The cost of such a pursuit can only be offset by significant submarine exports. Therefore, South Korea is likely to become an independent exporter of submarines. To this end, in 2002 South Korea hosted an underwater defense technology conference for the first time, allowing potential partners to meet representatives from the Korean defense industry.[5] South Korea is already becoming an after-sales service provider, as witnessed by an Indonesian contract concerning the overhaul of one of its Type 209 boats.[6]

Alternatively, cooperation between HDW and the ROKN may develop along the lines of HDW's cooperation with the Turkish Naval Forces (TNF): used ROKN vessels may be sold to train regional navies without a submarine arm, with the ROK providing its local facilities and simulators, followed by the production of new boats at a Korean yard from German-supplied kits. As HDW's cooperation with the TNF and a Turkish shipyard has not met with success to date, a new alliance with the seemingly more promising ROK may be on the horizon.

Restrictive German arms export guidelines theoretically bar sales to areas of tension. However, both former and current German government coalitions have supported submarine sales; there appears to have been little concern about the submarine sales to South Korea.  Therefore, future sales in the region are also quite possible.

Korean Shipyards:

Daewoo:

Daewoo constructed nine Chang Bogo (Type 209/1200) vessels for the South Korean Navy.

Hyundai:

The shipyard is constructing Type 214 vessels for the South Korean Navy.

Sources:
[1] "DPR agrees on procurement of more Sukhoi aircraft," Kompas, September 1, 2003; in "Indonesia: Navy Chief of Staff visits South Korea to sign MoU for new Navy," FBIS Document SEP20030901000039.
[2] Yonhap, July 8, 2003; in "ROK's Yonhap: Korea, Indonesia open defense talks," FBIS Document 20030708000050.
[3] "Indonesia to buy two South Korean submarines," Agence France Presse, September 25, 2003; in Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe, http://web.lexis-nexis.com.
[4] Interview with Dr. Taebo Shim, principal researcher of the Naval Systems Development Center's (NSDC) Agency for Defense Development (ADD) by Hartmut Manseck, Naval Forces, 2002, No. 6, pp. 91-92; in ProQuest Information and Learning Company, http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb.
[5] Hartmut Manseck, "UDT 2002 Korea," Naval Forces, 2002, No. 6, pp. 106; in ProQuest Information and Learning Company, http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb.
[6] "Indonesia to buy two corvettes from the Netherlands," Agence France Presse, January 8, 2004; in Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe, http://web.lexis-nexis.com.

This material is produced independently for NTI by the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or its directors, officers, employees, agents. Copyright © 2008 by MIIS.