Image Credits: Republic of Korea Navy
South Korea has appointed a female officer for the first time to serve as the commander of the 14,500-Ton Amphibious Assault Ship Dokdo, showing its commitment to selecting personnel based on merit, not gender.
“It is an immense honour to assume this vital role, and I feel a heavy responsibility to command the vessel,” Cpt. Bae Sun-young said.
She added that instead of focusing on the symbolism of being the first female commanding officer of a captain-rank warship, she would prioritise the preparedness of her ship and its crew to carry out any mission whenever needed.
Bae Sun-young had joined the Naval Academy in 1999, the year when the institution began to recruit female cadets.
Since then, she has been a part of several missions and served as the commanding officer of the Chamsuri patrol boat and on the Wonsan minelayer vessel.
She was also part of the Combined Force Maritime Component Command during 2026’s U.S.-Rimpac multilateral maritime exercise, in which South Korea became the first Asian country to lead the maritime component.
Around 2800 women serve in the South Korean Navy as officers and non-commissioned officers.
The service has widened its roles across every domain, and now women can become captains, command maritime operations, fly helicopters and operate patrol aircraft, work as crew in submarines and even become a part of the Salvage and Rescue Unit, called SSU.
The 199 m long and 30 m wide Dokdo transport vessel is responsible for multidomain amphibious operations.
It is also the flagship for task groups and serves as a mother ship for naval unmanned systems, while taking part in peacekeeping operations and disaster relief missions if and when required.
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The information on this website is for general purposes only. While efforts are made to ensure accuracy, we make no warranties of any kind regarding completeness, reliability, or suitability. Any reliance you place on such information is at your own risk. We are not liable for any loss or damage arising from the use of this website.
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