SEOUL, November 19 (AJP) - South Korea's first submarine Jang Bogo embarked on its final voyage on Wednesday, ahead of its retirement later this year.
The 1,200-ton vessel, named after a legendary captain and maritime trader from the ancient kingdom of Silla, will retire at the end of this year, concluding its 34-year mission to protect the country's maritime sovereignty.
The submarine set off from a naval base in Jinhae for the two-hour farewell cruise with its first captain Ahn Byung-gu, and other crew members on board, returning to the base to the salute of whistles from fellow submarines.
Built in Germany in 1988 and officially commissioned in 1993, the submarine has sailed over 342,000 miles during its service.
The vessel participated in major international maritime exercises including the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) and Silent Shark, a biennial drill conducted by South Korea and the U.S.
Since last year, the submarine has been used primarily for training crew members.
* This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP.
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