Editing Republic of Korea Armed Forces (section)

===ROK Navy===
{{main|Republic of Korea Navy}}

[[File:ROKS Sejong the Great (DDG 991).jpg|left|thumb|ROKS ''Sejong the Great'' (DDG 991), a [[Sejong the Great-class destroyer|''Sejong the Great'']]-class [[guided-missile destroyer]]]]

The ROK Navy (ROKN) is responsible for naval and [[Amphibious warfare|amphibious operations]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.navy.mil.kr/mbshome/mbs/eng/subview.do?id=eng_010300000000|title=Duty & Function|website=www.navy.mil.kr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011938/http://www.navy.mil.kr/mbshome/mbs/eng/subview.do?id=eng_010300000000|archive-date=2019-02-12|url-status=live|access-date=2019-02-10}}</ref> The ROK Navy has about 70,000 regular personnel including 29,000 Republic of Korea Marines. There are about 150 commissioned ships with the ROK Navy (a total displacement of about 215,000 tonnes<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.mod.go.jp/e/publ/w_paper/pdf/2018/DOJ2018_Full_1130.pdf|title=DEFENSE OF JAPAN 2018|website=Japan Ministry of Defense|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181202133929/http://www.mod.go.jp/e/publ/w_paper/pdf/2018/DOJ2018_Full_1130.pdf|archive-date=2018-12-02|url-status=live|access-date=2018-12-11}}</ref>). The naval aviation force consists of about 70 fixed-wing and [[Rotorcraft|rotary-wing aircraft]].

The Republic of Korea Navy includes the Republic of Korea Navy Headquarters, Republic of Korea Fleet, and [[Republic of Korea Marine Corps]]. The [[Chief of Naval Operations (South Korea)|Chief of Naval Operations]] (CNO) is the highest-ranking officer of the ROK Navy, and oversees the administration of organizing, recruiting, training, equipping, supplying, and mobilizing the ROK Navy. The Republic of Korea Fleet is the highest operational command of the ROK Navy.

Since the 1990s, the ROK Navy has been trying to build an ocean-going fleet to protect the [[sea lines of communication]]. During Admiral An Pyong-tae's tenure as [[Chief of Naval Operations (South Korea)|CNO]], President [[Kim Young-sam]] supported the Navy by approving a long-term shipbuilding plan for the ocean-going navy. In the first decade of the 21st century, the ROK Navy launched the lead ships of larger and better equipped warships with local shipbuilders: In 2002, ROKS ''Chungmugong Yi Sunshin'' (DDH 975), a 4,500-ton destroyer, was launched; in 2005, the 14,000-ton [[amphibious warfare ship]], [[Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship|ROKS ''Dokdo'']] (LPH 6111) was launched; in 2006, the ROK Navy launched ROKS ''Sohn Wonyil'' (SS 072), an 1,800-ton [[Type 214 submarine]] with Air-Independent propulsion (AIP) system. In 2007, the ROK Navy launched the lead ship (DDG 991) of [[Sejong the Great-class destroyer|''Sejong the Great-''class]] destroyers with the [[Aegis Combat System]].

The ROK Navy completed a new naval base called [[Jeju Civilian-Military Complex Port for Beautiful Tourism|Jeju Civilian-Military Complex Port]] in 2016 on the southern coast of [[Jeju Island]] to protect the sea lines of communication.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://jeju.news1.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=1054|script-title=ko:[제주해군기지 준공] 대양해군 전초기지 역할 '톡톡'|website=jeju.news1.kr|date=26 February 2016 |language=ko|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209124111/http://jeju.news1.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=1054|archive-date=2019-02-09|url-status=live|access-date=2019-02-08}}</ref> In order to support ocean-going operations, the ROK Navy commissioned the 10,000-ton logistics support ship, ROKS ''Soyang'' (AOE 51), and launched the first locally designed 3,000-ton submarine, ''Dosan Ahn Changho'' (SS 083) in 2018.<ref name="Ahn">{{cite web|script-title=ko:3천t급 잠수함 '도산안창호함' 진수식…2022년 1월 실전배치|url=http://www.yonhapnews.co.kr/bulletin/2018/09/13/0200000000AKR20180913150000014.HTML|publisher=[[Yonhap News Agency]] |access-date=23 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914095254/http://www.yonhapnews.co.kr/bulletin/2018/09/13/0200000000AKR20180913150000014.HTML|archive-date=2018-09-14|url-status=live|date=2018-09-13}}</ref> The ROK Navy continues to upgrade ongoing shipbuilding programs such as the [[Korean Attack Submarine program|Korean Submarine (KSS)]], [[Korean Destroyer eXperimental|Korean Destroyer Experimental (KDX)]], [[Incheon-class frigate|Frigate Experimental (FFX)]], and Landing Transport Experimental (LPX).

The ROK Navy aims to become a [[blue-water navy]] in the 2020s.<ref>[https://thediplomat.com/2010/11/18/south-koreas-blue-water-ambitions/ "South Korea's Blue-water Ambitions"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110080353/https://thediplomat.com/2010/11/18/south-koreas-blue-water-ambitions/|date=2013-11-10}}. <u>The Diplomat </u>. Retrieved June 21, 2012.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usnwc.edu/getattachment/c54ee0a4-987f-4a66-800e-ef88de9381d1/The-Emerging-Republic-of-Korea-Navy--A-Japanese-Pe.aspx|title=The Emerging Republic of Korea Navy: A Japanese Perspective|publisher=Naval War College Review|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305191216/https://www.usnwc.edu/getattachment/c54ee0a4-987f-4a66-800e-ef88de9381d1/The-Emerging-Republic-of-Korea-Navy--A-Japanese-Pe.aspx|archive-date=5 March 2016|url-status=dead|access-date=8 October 2015}}</ref>

====ROK Marine Corps====
[[File:2014.2.14._2014_코브라골드_연합훈련2014_Cobra_Gold_Combined_Exercise_14th,_Feb,_2014_(12652073913).jpg|right|thumb|ROKMC KAAV7A1 assault amphibious vehicles]]
{{main|Republic of Korea Marine Corps}}

The ROK Marine Corps (ROKMC) is a branch of the Republic of Korea Navy responsible for [[Amphibious warfare|amphibious operations]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rokmc.mil.kr/contents/view.do?sMenuKey=65&contentKey=14|script-title=ko:대한민국 해병대|website=rokmc.mil.kr|access-date=2019-02-08}}</ref> and also functions as a rapid reaction force and a strategic reserve. The ROK Marine Corps, with 29,000 personnel, is organized into two divisions and two brigades. The ROK Marine Corps has about 300 tracked vehicles including [[Assault Amphibious Vehicle|assault amphibious vehicles]], [[main battle tank]]s, and [[self-propelled artillery]].

The [[Commandant of the Republic of Korea Marine Corps]] is a three-star general. Following the [[bombardment of Yeonpyeong]] Island in 2010 and the subsequent establishment of the Northwest Islands Defense Command (NWIDC), the Commandant of the ROKMC has been dual-hatted as the Commander NWIDC.