South Korean shipbuilder HJ Shipbuilding & Construction (HJSC) has held a christening ceremony for four newly built high-speed naval vessels built to bolster the Republic of Korea Navy’s coastal defense capabilities.
As informed, these units are the first four units constructed by HJSC under the ROK Navy’s PKX-B Batch-II acquisition program initiated in 2022. The ceremony took place on December 8, 2025, at HJSC’s Yeongdo Shipyard in Busan.
The new high-speed vessel, PKMR (Patrol-boat Killer Medium Rocket), is the ROK Navy’s next-generation patrol craft that will replace the aging Chamsuri-class (PKM) fleet and take on coastal defense missions. They come equipped with combat systems, 130 mm guided rockets, electronic warfare systems, and anti-missile decoy systems.
The water-jet propulsion system enables stable operations in near-shore and shallow-water environments without interference from fishing nets. Additional survivability enhancements include improved ballistic protection for vital areas, shock-resistant design, fire-resistant bulkheads, and stealth construction techniques.
HJSC previously delivered all 16 vessels under the PKX-B Batch-I program commissioned by DAPA. Building on this track record, the multinational shipbuilder has also won all 12 vessels ordered to date under the improved Batch-II program.
“Since the launch of the first next-generation patrol vessel in 2016, we have successfully delivered a total of 20 PKMR vessels,” an HJSC official stated.
“Building on our accumulated technical expertise and proven construction experience as a specialized naval shipbuilder, we will continue contributing to strengthening the global reputation of K-defense.”