President Lee Presides Over Launch of Daeho Kim Jongseo, Marking Completion of Domestic Aegis Destroyer Project

The Sixth Aegis Destroyer Following Sejong the Great

A Core Asset for Self-Reliant National Defense

Focus on "A Strategic Sector Securing Both Economic Growth and National Security" Expected

President Lee Jae-myung will preside over the launching ceremony of the Navy’s newest Aegis destroyer, the ‘Daeho Kim Jongseo,’ on September 30. With this launch, the government completes its 19-year plan to build six domestically produced Aegis destroyers, a project that began with the Sejong the Great in 2007. President Lee is expected to emphasize the importance of strengthening national defense capabilities and nurturing the defense industry on this occasion.

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the 3rd Public-Private Joint Inspection Meeting for Mega Projects held at the Blue House on September 29, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News.

President Lee will attend the launching ceremony for the Daeho Kim Jongseo, which will be held in Ulsan that afternoon. He will congratulate the addition of this new core asset to the Navy and encourage both Navy personnel and members of the defense industry.

The Daeho Kim Jongseo is named after General Kim Jongseo, who pioneered the six northern military outposts during King Sejong’s reign. To highlight its symbolic importance as a powerful marker of self-reliant national defense, the ship also bears Kim’s nickname, ‘Daeho’ (Great Tiger).

This launch carries significant symbolic weight in the process of strengthening the nation’s Aegis destroyer fleet. The Daeho Kim Jongseo is the sixth and final vessel in the plan to build six domestically developed Aegis destroyers, a project launched 19 years ago with the Sejong the Great. The government has evaluated the Daeho Kim Jongseo as a key capability for self-reliant defense and expects it to play a crucial role in maritime security and the protection of Korea’s waters.

In his congratulatory address, President Lee is expected to highlight the significance of the Daeho Kim Jongseo for the nation’s shipbuilding competitiveness and for self-reliant defense, emphasizing that the ship integrates the latest in advanced technology. He is also likely to define the defense industry as a ‘core strategic sector’ that drives economic growth while securing national security, and will stress the need for its continued development.

Amid the government’s recent reiteration of ‘self-reliant defense’ as a core national defense policy, this event is expected to spotlight both the advancement of naval capabilities and the competitiveness of the domestic defense industry. President Lee also emphasized the need to strengthen national defense capabilities in response to evolving security challenges during a Cabinet meeting held on September 29.

President Lee will also express appreciation for the service and dedication of naval personnel and defense civil servants who have protected Korea’s maritime territory and supported the peaceful daily lives of its people. More than 350 people are expected to attend the launching ceremony, including President Lee and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung, as well as key government and military officials, National Assembly members, heads of local governments, diplomats, representatives from HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and the defense industry, Ulsan-based students, and designated Masters of Korea. Among government officials, Minister of National Defense Kang Shin-chul; Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik; National Security Office Chief Wi Sung-lak; First Deputy Director Kang Geon-jak; and National Defense Secretary Kwak Tae-shin, among others, will be present.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.