The Munmu the Great, the second ship of South Korea's Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin-class destroyers (DDH-II, 4,400 tons), underwent emergency repairs overseas after a diesel engine component failed following its participation in the U.S. international fleet review, which drew more than 50 countries to mark the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.
According to reporting by Seoul Economic Daily on the 20th, the destroyer detected a failure in the No. 1 diesel engine's KS-stage turbocharger during an internal inspection after attending the U.S. fleet review in early July, then sailed on to Colombia, its next port of call. Personnel from the Navy's maintenance depot were dispatched at the same time.
The step followed a decision by Navy leadership to provide overseas mobile maintenance support so the ship could carry out military diplomacy activities with allied countries, including Colombia, as originally planned. The dispatched personnel restored the vessel ahead of schedule by carrying out an emergency replacement of the failed turbocharger.
A turbocharger is a core device used to boost engine output, improve fuel efficiency and reduce exhaust emissions on warships. It supplies large volumes of oxygen into the engine to help generate strong power. If the device fails, engine output drops and normal sailing becomes impossible.
The Munmu the Great departed the Jeju naval base in early May, crossed the Pacific and took part in a maneuver exercise hosted by the U.S. 2nd Fleet Command in waters east of Norfolk in late June, before attending the international fleet review held in New York from July 3 to 8 to mark the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.
After the fleet review, the ship planned to return to South Korea along the Cartagena-San Diego-Pearl Harbor route that the Colombian navy sailed to join the Korean War, promoting South Korean warships and weapons systems along the way. The diesel engine component failure was found before departure and the part was replaced on an emergency basis.
The Navy said the Munmu the Great "identified a leak in the diesel engine turbocharger during an equipment inspection before departure after completing its participation in the U.S. international fleet review." It added that it "quickly dispatched specialist personnel from the Navy maintenance depot and completed repairs at the next port of call, so there were no problems with the ship's navigation, mission performance or safety."
The Navy also said the ship "has multiple propulsion power systems, including gas turbines as well as diesel engines, so even if some engines require maintenance, it has a propulsion system that allows the vessel to operate normally using the other engines."
The Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin-class Munmu the Great is a 4,400-ton destroyer measuring 150 meters in length and 17.4 meters in width, propelled by two gas turbines and two diesel engines. With a top speed of 29 knots and a range of more than 4,000 miles (about 6,440 kilometers), it has carried out the Navy's blue-water operations.
The ship has been in service since October 2004, however, and is now more than 20 years old and aging. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration decided in January 2025 to proceed with a performance upgrade program for Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin-class (4,400-ton) destroyers that have been in service for more than 20 years.
Within and outside the military, some point out that the recent pattern of Navy vessels developing faults as soon as they cross the Pacific, prompting a series of emergency dispatches of maintenance depot personnel, indicates problems with the Navy's ship operation capabilities.
The Ahnmu, the second boat of the Ahn Chang-ho-class submarines (SS-III, 3,000 tons), crossed the Pacific last November to join a South Korea-U.S. combined anti-submarine exercise, and the lead boat Dosan Ahn Chang-ho (SS-III, 3,000 tons) crossed the Pacific in May this year to take part in a South Korea-Canada combined cooperation exercise. Maintenance personnel were also dispatched to both locations for emergency equipment replacements, according to sources.
