A fire broke out aboard a South Korean Navy submarine undergoing maintenance in Ulsan on Thursday, leaving one person missing, authorities said.
According to fire officials, the blaze began at around 1:58 p.m. in the aft, or rear, section of the submarine Hong Beom-do (SS-079), which was docked at a maintenance facility. Firefighters deployed 57 personnel and 31 pieces of equipment, bringing the fire under control at around 3:04 p.m.
No injuries were reported among Navy personnel, but one civilian worker in her 60s, affiliated with a subcontractor, has been reported missing.
Authorities said the fire is believed to have started inside the submarine during maintenance work, though the exact cause remains under investigation.
The maintenance was being carried out by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, which built and launched the submarine in April 2016.
The company said the incident is unlikely to affect its ongoing projects, noting that the Jangbogo-II submarine upgrade program — aimed at enhancing the combat systems and sensors of South Korea’s 214-class submarines — remains in the system design phase with minimal impact expected.
The submarine was delivered to the Navy in 2018 and entered active service in May that year following a four-month crew training period.
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