Geoje: The state defense procurement agency of South Korea has officially initiated the fourth and final phase of its next-generation frigate project to replace the Navy's aging warships. This significant step was marked by a gathering of defense officials and companies involved in the project at Hanwha Ocean Co.'s headquarters in Geoje, located 329 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) formalized an agreement last month, signing an 839.1 billion won (US$585.6 million) deal with Hanwha Ocean to construct the first two warships of the final batch. The Navy is expected to receive the first frigate by 2029 and the second by 2030.

The new warships are set to feature enhancements over the previous batch, including electronic warfare equipment designed to extend their detection range, as stated by DAPA. The next-generation frigate acquisition program was initially launched in 2006, aiming to modernize the Navy's older frigates and corvettes in a phased manner.