South Korea was set to hold a launch ceremony Wednesday for a new homegrown 3,600-ton frigate with enhanced anti-air and anti-submarine capabilities, the Navy and the state arms procurement agency said.

The ceremony for the ROKS Jeju, named after the country's southern resort island, will take place at a shipyard run by SK Oceanplant Co., in Goseong County, about 350 kilometers south of Seoul, the Navy and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration said in a joint release.

The ROK Navy’s Jeju frigate is docked at the SK Ocean Plant shipyard in Goseong, South Gyeongsang Province, on April 28, a day before its launching ceremony. (ROK Navy via Yonhap)
The ROK Navy’s Jeju frigate is docked at the SK Ocean Plant shipyard in Goseong, South Gyeongsang Province, on April 28, a day before its launching ceremony. (ROK Navy via Yonhap)

The 129-meter-long vessel is the fourth ship built as part of South Korea's Ulsan-class Batch-III frigate acquisition program aimed at replacing aging frigates and patrol combat corvettes.

It is equipped with a 5-inch gun, a vertical launch system, anti-ship missile interceptors, ship-to-ship guided missiles, tactical ship-to-ground guided missiles and long-range anti-submarine torpedoes.

The ROK Navy’s Jeju frigate is seen at the SK Ocean Plant shipyard in Goseong, South Gyeongsang Province, on April 28, ahead of its launching ceremony. (ROK Navy via Yonhap)
The ROK Navy’s Jeju frigate is seen at the SK Ocean Plant shipyard in Goseong, South Gyeongsang Province, on April 28, ahead of its launching ceremony. (ROK Navy via Yonhap)

It is also fitted with a homegrown "multifunctional phased array radar" system capable of detecting, tracking multiple targets and engaging them at the same time.

The vessel is expected to serve as a key combat ship operating in regional waters with its advanced anti-air and anti-submarine capabilities, the Navy and DAPA said.

Following a trial period, the frigate will be delivered to the Navy in June 2027, before going into service. (Yonhap)