The Navy's Female Warriors Taking Command for the First Time

Lieutenant Colonel Hong Yujin, the first female officer to be appointed as the captain of a 1,000-ton class patrol ship, the Wonju, is commanding the vessel.

Lieutenant Colonel Bae Sun-young, the captain of the Wonsan ship, is working in the captain's office.

[Asia Economy, Military Specialist Yang Nak-gyu] The Navy has forward-deployed female officers on warships guarding maritime areas. The protagonists are Lieutenant Colonel Hong Yoo-jin, the first female commanding officer of a combat ship at the lieutenant colonel level, and Lieutenant Colonel Bae Sun-young, the first female commanding officer of a mine-laying ship.

Lieutenant Colonel Hong, who assumed command of the Wonju ship on the 21st, expressed, "I feel a heavy responsibility in taking on the duty as the first female combat ship commanding officer since the founding of the armed forces," adding, "As the commanding officer of a combat ship loyal to the nation and its people, I will fulfill the mission of protecting the front maritime area of the East Sea."

In addition to being the first female combat ship commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Hong also holds the title of the Navy's first female fast patrol boat commander. In January 2012, she served as the commander of the Chamsuri 287 fast patrol boat under the Jinhae Base Command. She was commissioned in 2002 as part of the 97th Officer Candidate School (OCS) class and began her first assignment on the Daecheong ship. Since then, she has served as combat information officer on the Gwanggaeto the Great ship, executive officer on the Andong ship, and executive officer on the Gwanggaeto the Great ship, accumulating over 2,300 days of sailing duty.

On the 15th, Lieutenant Colonel Bae Sun-young became the first female commanding officer of a mine-laying ship by assuming command of the Wonsan ship. Lieutenant Colonel Bae was commissioned in 2003 as part of the 57th class of the Naval Academy and has served as commander of the Chamsuri 282 fast patrol boat, deck officer on the Dokdo ship, and executive officer on the Wonsan ship, accumulating over 2,200 days of sailing duty. The Wonsan ship, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Bae, is a vessel that deploys underwater mines during wartime.

Lieutenant Colonel Bae said, "It is an honor to take on the commanding officer position I have dreamed of since my cadet days," adding, "As commanding officer, I will complete the given missions and maintain the Wonsan ship always ready."

Meanwhile, since the first female naval officer was commissioned in 2001, about 2,400 female officers and non-commissioned officers have been serving in the Navy and Marine Corps. Female personnel are active in various units including ships, aircraft, remote outposts, and ground combat units, excluding special warfare and submarine fields.

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