South Korean Navy Names First Female Warship Commander

The South Korean Navy announced that it has appointed a woman for the first time as a captain-level warship commander since its founding in 1945. The Republic of Korea Ship Dokdo will achieve a historic first for the naval force with the appointment of its new captain, Capt. Bae Sun-young.

The Republic of Korea Ship Dokdo is a landing platform helicopter vessel that will be commanded by Capt. Bae to serve in a variety of naval missions. She has been appointed in a move to highlight the presence of women in leadership roles in South Korea's military. The Dokdo can carry out amphibious landing missions, serve as the flagship of naval task forces, and be used as a launch platform for unmanned vehicles. It is one of the Navy's most important vessels for expeditionary and maritime operations.

Bae joined the Korea Naval Academy in 1999, when it began admitting female midshipmates for the first time since its establishment in 1946.

She has held critical positions such as commanding officer of the Chamsuri-282 patrol boat, deck officer on the ROKS Dokdo, operations officer on the corvette ROKS Namwon and commanding officer of the ROKS Wonsan minelayer.

Key Highlights:

• Capt. Bae Sun-young becomes the first woman to command a captain-rank warship in the Republic of Korea Navy
• She will lead the ROKS Dokdo, a key naval vessel used for amphibious and maritime operations
• Her appointment reflects the growing role of women in leadership positions in South Korea's Navy

During the 2026 Rim of the Pacific Exercise, or RIMPAC, which brought together forces from 30 countries, Bae served as head of the Maritime Operations Center at the Combined Force Maritime Component Command.

She played a pivotal role in making South Korea the first Asian country to undertake a Combined Force Maritime Component Commander mission, according to the Navy.

The Navy commissioned its first female officers in 2001 and since then about 2,800 female officers and noncommissioned officers have entered service and taken on important roles.

The Navy has expanded assignments for women across surface ships, aircraft and submarines, while appointing women to major command positions.

The Republic of Korea Navy has not said how many of those 2,800 women now hold command positions, or how the 2001 commissioning date sits alongside the academy opening to women in 1999.

The service has opened assignments to women aboard surface ships and submarines, and in naval aviation, and has appointed women to major command posts.

Bae said she felt honored and aware of the responsibility of commanding a large transport ship.

“I feel both deeply honored and aware of the responsibility that comes with commanding one of the Korea Navy’s large transport ships,” Bae said.

“Rather than focusing on the symbolism of being the first woman to command a captain-rank vessel, I will make the ROKS Dokdo a ship capable of flawlessly carrying out any mission at any time.”

Bae also added that she would rather build ROKS Dokdo into “a ship capable of flawlessly carrying out any mission at any time” than dwell on the symbolism of being first. The new captain takes command on Wednesday; 27 years after the Korea Naval Academy admitted its female midshipmen.