PHL expects its first Pohang-class corvette within the year

The Department of National Defense (DND) confirmed on Thursday that South Korea has donated one of its retired patrol ships to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

"The transfer will be in the form of a donation. However, we will pay a token fee of $100," DND Public Affairs Service chief Arsenio Andolong said.

Andolong said the DND already sent a letter to its Korean counterparts for the acquisition of the Pohang-class corvette, which is expected to be delivered within the year.

"We have sent a letter to the government of South Korea expressing our intent to acquire one Pohang class corvette. We are hoping to receive the vessel within the year," he said.

The donation of a corvette, or lightly-armed warship, was announced by the Department of Foreign Affairs in 2014 following discussions between then-Defense chief Voltaire Gazmin and South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwang-jin. 

According to the website of the Republic of Korea Navy, Patrol Combat Corvettes like the Pohang class are used for coastal patrols. They can be equipped for anti-ship, anti-submarine, and anti-aircraft operations.

The vessels also have a displacement of around 1,200 tons, can sail at a speed of 32 knots, and have a range of about 4,000 nautical miles or 7,408 kilometers.

Andolong said the government has yet to determine the actual cost of the vessel's refurbishment since its exact type is not yet known.

He, nonetheless, welcomed the impending arrival of the patrol ship as another addition to the Philippine Navy's fleet.

"It will definitely enhance our capability to patrol our waters and perform counter-terrorism missions," Andolong said. —Joseph Tristan Roxas/KBK, GMA News