[Military Story] East Sea Guardian Navy 1st Fleet Protecting Ulleungdo and Dokdo

Established in November 1945, East Sea Operational Range
Threats Increasing Daily Including China-Russia Joint Exercises

The Navy's 1st Fleet, known as the 'Guardian of the East Sea,' marks its 79th anniversary this year. The Navy was the first among the Army, Navy, and Air Force to be established on November 11, 1945. The history of the 1st Fleet began on August 22, 1946, when the Mukho base of the Joseon Coastal Guard opened in the East Sea. It was later upgraded to the Mukho Guard Unit in June 1949.

On the dawn of June 25, 1950, when the Korean War broke out, North Korean naval vessels attempting a surprise landing at Okgae coast and Jeongdongjin were destroyed at sea. The 'Okgae District Battle' was recorded as the first victory achieved by the Republic of Korea Armed Forces during the Korean War. Even after the armistice agreement, the fleet demonstrated operational capabilities by sinking and repelling North Korean infiltration vessels and spy ships. On July 1, 1973, it merged with the 1st Maritime Guard Command, established to conduct anti-infiltration operations following the infiltration of armed North Korean agents in the Uljin and Samcheok areas, becoming the 1st Naval Area Command, and was renamed the 1st Fleet Command on February 1, 1986.

The operational radius of the 1st Fleet is extensive. It is responsible for a 528 km coastline stretching from Goseong, Gangwon Province, to Gampo, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and the vast East Sea waters equivalent to the entire area of South Korea. The operational area includes strategic national islands such as Ulleungdo and Dokdo, as well as critical national facilities like ports and nuclear power plants.

Recently, threats in the 1st Fleet's operational area have increased across underwater, maritime, and aerial domains. Chinese fishing vessels are a prime example. According to Gyeongsangbuk-do, although the number has been decreasing since 2021, in 2020 alone, about 2,400 Chinese fishing vessels engaged in illegal squid fishing in North Korean waters. This represents a 16-fold increase compared to the early 2000s when there were only about 150 vessels.

The movements of Chinese and Russian vessels have also become significant. Joint naval and air force exercises conducted by the Chinese and Russian fleets in the central East Sea have surged. Last year, Russian Pacific Fleet vessels departed from their base in Vladivostok for joint exercises. They dispatched two 6,800-ton anti-submarine destroyers, Admiral Tributs and Admiral Pantel?ev, along with the patrol ship Gremyashchiy to the East Sea. China also sent a fleet to the East Sea composed of guided missile destroyers Chichijar and Guiyang, guided missile frigates Zaozhuang and Lijao, and the comprehensive supply ship Taihu carrying four helicopters.

Not only vessels but also Russian long-range strategic bombers frequently fly over the East Sea. The Tupolev (Tu)-95 strategic bomber mainly operates in the area, escorted by Russian Air Force Su-30 fighters. The Tupolev can be armed with various bombs and missiles, including hydrogen bombs weighing up to 20 tons. On a single flight, it can fly southward to a point approximately 300 to 400 km northeast of Dokdo in the East Sea.

North Korean vessels are also primary surveillance targets for the East Sea 1st Fleet. According to MarineTraffic, which shows ship location information, the North Korean tanker 'Cheonmasan-ho,' first detected in the West Sea, turned its bow about 110 km northeast of Shanghai, China. The bow headed east. Since it passed through the Korea Strait, it is presumed that Cheonmasan-ho's final destination is either a North Korean East Sea port or the Russian Far East region. It is believed to be operating to load oil from Russia.

Cheonmasan-ho was added to the sanctions list in 2018 for illegal ship-to-ship transfers and crude oil transportation. At that time, the UN Security Council's North Korea Sanctions Committee ordered asset freezes and port entry bans on Cheonmasan-ho. The UN Security Council limits North Korea's refined oil imports to 500,000 barrels annually, but Russia is understood to have already exceeded this limit by supplying refined oil to North Korea this year.

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that North Korea has also purchased used ships in violation of sanctions. According to the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GIGIS), the Mongolian-flagged 'Peace Envoy' changed its registration to North Korea and was renamed 'Ryonghyun-ho' in November last year. Ryonghyun-ho is registered under the name of 'Yeolgwang Trading Company' located in the Rakrang district of Pyongyang. The vessel has a gross tonnage of 1,806 tons and was built in 2005. Although the UN Security Council banned the sale and purchase of ships to and from North Korea through sanctions imposed in 2016, North Korea continues to acquire used ships.