Gumdoksuri class patrol vessel (Hangul

Hangul

Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...

: 검독수리급 고속함) also known as PKG class patrol vessel is a patrol ship of the Republic of Korea Navy

Republic of Korea Navy

The Republic of Korea Navy or the ROK Navy is the branch of the South Korean armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations and amphibious landing operations. The ROK Navy includes the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, which is a quasi-autonomous organization...

. Two variants are planned. The first being PKG-A or Yun Youngha class missile patrol ship (Hangul

Hangul

Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...

: 윤영하급 고속함), and the second being PKG-B class patrol boat.

Development

The Republic of Korea Navy

Republic of Korea Navy

The Republic of Korea Navy or the ROK Navy is the branch of the South Korean armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations and amphibious landing operations. The ROK Navy includes the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, which is a quasi-autonomous organization...

 began development of the PKG class in 2003 after a Chamsuri class (PKM class) patrol boat was sunk during a naval clash with North Korean patrol boats on June 29, 2002. The codenamed PKX (Patrol Killer eXperimental) program is the patrol boat modernization project of the ROK Navy.

The PKX consist of two main designs. The larger, missile armed PKG-A of approximately 500 tons and the smaller gun armed PKG-B of approximately 200 tons. PKG-A is planned to take up some of the operations done by Pohang class corvette

Pohang class corvette

The Pohang class corvette is a class of general purpose vessels operated by the Republic of Korea Navy. They have served in a coastal defense role during the late Cold War and post Cold War period....

s, and the PKG-B is planned to replace the aging fleet.

The first PKG-A vessel were ordered from Hanjin Heavy Industries

Hanjin Heavy Industries

Hanjin Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. is a Korean shipbuilding company, founded in 1937. It is a multinational company, and is an affiliate of the Hanjin Group.- Situation :...

. The lead ship of the class, Yoon Youngha (PKG 711), named after Lieutenant Commander Yoon Youngha who was killed during the second battle of Yeonpyeong, was launched on June 28, 2007 and commissioned on December 17, 2008. The production of the PKG-A are being divided between Hanjin Heavy Industries

Hanjin Heavy Industries

Hanjin Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. is a Korean shipbuilding company, founded in 1937. It is a multinational company, and is an affiliate of the Hanjin Group.- Situation :...

 and STX

STX

STX is a sports equipment manufacturer based in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a subsidiary of Wm. T. Burnett & Co...

 in lots of four.

Ships in the class

Name	Number	Builder	Launched	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
Yoon Youngha (윤영하)	PKG-711	Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. is a Korean shipbuilding company, founded in 1937. It is a multinational company, and is an affiliate of the Hanjin Group.- Situation :...	28 June 2007	17 December 2008		Active
Han Sanggook (한상국)	PKG-712	STX Offshore & Shipbuilding	23 September 2009			Launched
Jo Chunhyung (조천형)	PKG-713	STX Offshore & Shipbuilding	23 September 2009			Launched
Hwang Dohyun (황도현)	PKG-715	STX Offshore & Shipbuilding	11 December 2009			Launched
Suh Hoowon (서후원)	PKG-716	STX Offshore & Shipbuilding	11 December 2009			Launched
Park Donghyuk (박동혁)	PKG-717	Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. is a Korean shipbuilding company, founded in 1937. It is a multinational company, and is an affiliate of the Hanjin Group.- Situation :...	28 July 2010			Launched
Hyun Sihak (현시학)	PKG-718	Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industries Hanjin Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. is a Korean shipbuilding company, founded in 1937. It is a multinational company, and is an affiliate of the Hanjin Group.- Situation :...	28 July 2010			Launched