Gwanggaeto the Great is South Korea's KDX-I destroyer class and the first step in the country's modern destroyer programme.
The Gwanggaeto the Great-class destroyers were the Republic of Korea Navy's first domestically built destroyers under the Korean Destroyer eXperimental programme. They introduced larger, more capable surface combatants into Korean service and provided experience for later KDX-II and KDX-III classes.
The class carries anti-ship missiles, air-defence weapons, guns, sensors, and helicopters for escort and patrol roles.
KDX-I ships were designed to provide a balanced destroyer capability rather than only coastal patrol. Their weapons and sensors support anti-surface, limited air-defence, and anti-submarine tasks. They helped the Korean navy gain experience operating complex combat systems on larger hulls.
The class matters because it was the launch point for Korea's move into high-end surface combatant construction.
For HiWars, Gwanggaeto the Great is a developmental milestone. It shows how Korea built naval capability step by step, using KDX-I as the foundation for later blue-water destroyers and Aegis warships.
| Name | Country | Status | Service Year | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
ROKS Yang Manchun (DDH-973) | 🇰🇷Korea, Republic of | ACTIVE | 2000 – Present | ROK Navy KDX-1 destroyer |
ROKS Eulji Mundeok (DDH-972) | 🇰🇷Korea, Republic of | ACTIVE | 1999 – Present | ROK Navy KDX-1 destroyer |
ROKS Gwanggaeto the Great (DDH-971) | 🇰🇷Korea, Republic of | ACTIVE | 1998 – Present | First ROK Navy KDX-1 destroyer |
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