We Are the First Female Submarine Crew Members

The Birth of Female Naval Submarine Crew Members... 14th in the World

The Republic of Korea Navy has produced its first female submarine crew members. With this, South Korea became the 14th country in the world to have female crew members serving on submarines.

Captain Seong Ju-bin (left) and Captain Yoo Hyo-jin (right) are undergoing submarine piloting training at the Navy Submarine Command's submarine piloting training center on December 22 last year. (Photo by the Navy)

Sergeant Kim Hyun-gyeom (front row left) and Staff Sergeant Kang Su-yeon (front row right) are practicing submarine docking and undocking procedures on the Dosan Ahn Changho ship on December 29 last year. (Photo by the Navy)

Sergeant Kim Kyung-hoon (front) is conducting torpedo firing training at the Navy Submarine Command's submarine tactical training ground on December 21 last year. (Photo by Navy)

Sergeant Kim Ji-in (front) is conducting torpedo firing training at the Navy Submarine Command Submarine Tactical Training Center on December 21 last year. (Photo by the Navy)

According to the Navy on the 5th, the '38th Basic Submarine Course Completion Ceremony' was held at Jinhae Naval Base under the supervision of Kang Jeong-ho, Commander of the Navy Submarine Command (Major General). A total of 125 officers and non-commissioned officers completed the training, among whom 9 female submarine crew members graduated. Five female crew members were assigned to the Dosan Ahn Changho, a 3,000-ton class medium submarine, and four were assigned to the Anmu.

Among the female crew members, two ship officers took on the role of combat information officers, responsible for collecting and analyzing information necessary for submarine navigation and operational management.

Three sonar non-commissioned officers operate the underwater acoustic detection system called 'Sonar,' and one helmsman non-commissioned officer is responsible for recommending the submarine's navigation routes and maneuvers.

Additionally, one electronic warfare non-commissioned officer operates the submarine's radar and combat system equipment, one electronics non-commissioned officer operates and manages the submarine's electronic equipment, and one propulsion non-commissioned officer operates and maintains the submarine's propulsion system.

South Korea is the 14th country to produce female submarine crew members, following Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Australia, Spain, Germany, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Argentina, France, the Netherlands, and Japan. Recently, due to the expansion of female personnel and roles, as well as the operation of 3,000-ton class medium submarines equipped with separate restrooms, bedrooms, and other spaces accessible to female crew members, the South Korean Navy was able to assign women to submarines. Among the female crew members, Captain Yoo Hyo-jin, who became a combat information officer on the Dosan Ahn Changho, is a graduate of the Korea Naval Academy (Class 73) and completed the U.S. Naval Academy's sponsored training course from 2016 to 2020.

Captain Yoo stated, "Together with my submarine comrades, I will protect the seas of the Republic of Korea underwater with a heavy sense of duty," adding, "With a strong mental armament to definitely win, if the enemy provokes, I will immediately and powerfully retaliate underwater to the end and annihilate the enemy."

Captain Seong Ju-bin, who is assigned as a combat information officer on the Anmu, also said, "I feel proud to be part of the submarine unit, a national strategic asset," and added, "If the enemy provokes, I will secretly strike the enemy’s heart underwater and immediately and powerfully retaliate to the end."

Petty Officer Kim Da-hee, a propulsion non-commissioned officer assigned to the Anmu, comes from a family where all four siblings serve as Navy non-commissioned officers. Kim was assigned to the submarine with encouragement and advice from her two older sisters (Engineer Petty Officer Kim Gyu-rin and Sonar Petty Officer Kim Dan-ha) and her younger brother (Cyber and Information Systems Operations Petty Officer Kim Min-jun (Jin)).

Kim emphasized, "As a submarine crew member, not just a female submarine crew member, I thoroughly dedicated myself to acquiring knowledge and skills related to submarines during the basic course to faithfully carry out the assigned mission."

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