[Anchor Lead]
The South Korean Coast Guard's newest patrol vessel has officially deployed from Jeju Island today. The 5,000-ton cutter is named Lee Cheong-ho and is Korea's largest patrol vessel stationed in the southern sea to better guard territorial waters.
[Pkg]
This is the Lee Cheong-ho, the Korea Coast Guard's 5,000-ton patrol boat. Measuring 150 meters long, 33 meters high and 16.5 meters wide, it's the largest vessel in the Coast Guard fleet. The vessel is named after Lee Cheong-ho, a Coast Guard sergeant who was killed on duty while trying to stop illegal Chinese fishing boats in 2011. The Lee Cheong-ho cutter can sail at a maximum speed of 48 kilometers per hour and carry 100 crew members. It is also capable of sailing round trip between Korea and Los Angeles without additional refueling. Prompt mission completion is also likely as the vessel can be loaded with four small high-speed boats. The Lee Cheong-ho patrol ship will be stationed with the Seogwipo Coast Guard and guard the Ieodo Marine Scientific Research Station and waters south of Ieodo Island. In addition, together with two existing 3,000-ton patrol vessels, the Lee Cheong-ho is expected to crack down hard on illegal Chinese fishing boats. The Lee Cheong-ho cutter will begin its noble duty on June 28th with an 8-day mission near the exclusive economic zone south of Seogwipo.
