The Republic of Korea Navy was established on November 11, 1945, as the Marine Defense Group (later became the Korean Coast Guard) after Korea was liberated from the Empire of Japan on August 15, 1945. The Korean Coast Guard became the Republic of Korea Navy after the South Korean government was established on August 15, 1948.

Since its inception and until the 1990s, the Republic of Korea Navy had acquired about 150 former United States Navy ships. As South Korea's economy grew, the ROK Navy was able to build larger and better equipped fleets with local shipbuilders.

The ROK Navy employs the U.S. Navy-style letter based hull classification symbols to designate the types of its ships and hull numbers to uniquely identify its vessels (e.g. DDH 975). The names are that of the historical figures, Navy heroes, provinces, cities, counties, peaks, lakes, islands, and birds. The Chief of Naval Operations selects the names of ships."함정 명명식". Republic of Korea Navy Official Website. Retrieved May 11, 2007.

The ship prefix for all the commissioned ROK Navy ship is ROKS (Republic of Korea Ship) when the names of ships are written in English.

Ships acquired through indigenous warship building Submarines Dolgorae (SSM) means the dolphin in Korean. ClassROKN classificationHull numberName (a.k.a.)Hangul name (Hanja)Formerly known asDisplacement (submerged, tons)Launch dateDelivery dateCommission dateDecommission dateBuilderNoteSSM 051 classSSM: Midget Submarine051Dolgorae 051돌고래 051 -1751983-04-021984-12-291985-03-012003-12-31Korea TacomaDisplayed at Submarine Force Command052Dolgorae 052돌고래 052 -1781989-12-151990-11-071990-11-082016-06-30Korea Tacoma-053Dolgorae 053돌고래 053 -1781991-08-301991-12-101991-12-122016-06-30Korea TacomaDisplayed at ROKS Seoul Park in Seoul

Frigates Frigates (FF) were named after provinces and large cities that names previous ROK Navy destroyers had. ClassROKN classificationHull numberName (a.k.a.)Hangul name (Hanja)Formerly known asDisplacement (light/full, tons)Launch dateDelivery dateCommission dateDecommission dateBuilderNoteUlsan classFFK →FF: Frigate951Ulsan울산 (蔚山) -1,446/2,3501980-04-081980-12-301981-01-012014-12-30Hyundai Heavy IndustriesDisplayed as museum ship in Ulsan; 2nd Ulsan after AKL 910952Seoul서울 -1,446/2,3501984-04-241984-12-151984-12-182015-12-31Hyundai Heavy IndustriesMoored at ROKS Seoul Park in Seoul; 3rd Seoul after LCI 101, DD 92/912953Chungnam충남 (忠南) -1,446/2,3501984-12-101985-06-291985-07-012017-12-27Korea Shipbuilding Corp.2nd Chungnam after DE 72/821955Masan마산 (馬山)-1,446/2,3501984-10-261985-07-301985-08-072019-12-24Korea Tacoma2nd Masan after AKL 909; Participated in RIMPAC 1990 with ROKS Seoul956Gyeongbuk (Kyong Buk)경북 (慶北)-1,446/2,3501986-01-231986-07-311986-08-012019-12-24Daewoo S&ME2nd Gyeongbuk after APD 85/826

Corvettes Corvettes (PCC) were named after cities. ClassROKN classificationHull numberName (a.k.a.)Hangul name (Hanja)Formerly known asDisplacement (light/full, tons)Launch dateDelivery dateCommission dateDecommission dateBuilderNoteDonghae classPCC: Patrol Combat Corvette751Donghae동해 (東海) -890/1,0761982-11-181983-11-101983-12-212009-06-30Korea Shipbuilding Corp.Lead ship of PCC Batch-I752Suwon수원 (水原) -890/1,0761982-12-281983-11-301983-12-212010-06-30Korea Tacoma-753Gangneung강릉 (江陵) -890/1,0761983-05-141983-12-011983-12-212010-06-30Hyundai Heavy Industries2nd Gangneung after YMS 507755Anyang안양 (安養) -890/1,0871983-06-151983-12-151983-12-212011-09-30Daewoo Heavy IndustriesRecommissioned as ARC Nariño (CM 55) of the Colombian Navy in Aug 2014Pohang class756Pohang포항 (浦項) -950/1,2201984-02-071984-10-311984-12-182009-06-30Korea Shipbuilding Corp.Lead ship of PCC Batch-II; Moored as museum ship in Pohang757Gunsan군산 (群山) -950/1,2201984-03-271984-11-301984-12-172011-09-30Korea TacomaScrapped; 2nd Gunsan after AKL 908758Gyeongju경주 (慶州) -950/1,2201984-06-081985-04-301985-05-012014-12-30Hyundai Heavy IndustriesRecommissioned as BAP Ferré (PM 211) of Peruvian Navy in Jul 2016; 2nd Gyeongju after YMS 502759Mokpo목포 (木浦) -950/1,2201984-10-121985-05-101985-05-172014-12-30Daewoo Heavy Industries2nd Mokpo after AKL 907761Gimcheon김천 (金泉) -950/1,2201985-11-291986-08-311986-09-012015-12-31Korea Shipbuilding Corp.Lead ship of PCC Batch-III; Recommissioned as HQ 18 of Vietnam People's Navy in Jun 2017; 2nd Gimcheon after YMS 513762Chungju충주 (忠州) -950/1,2201986-01-241986-09-301986-11-302016-12-31Korea TacomaTransferred to Philippine Navy as BRP Conrado Yap (PS 39)763Jinju진주 (晋州) -950/1,2201986-02-121986-10-291986-11-012016-12-31Hyundai Heavy IndustriesRecommissioned as Shabab Misr (1000) of Egyptian Navy in 2007; 2nd Jinju after LCI 102765Yeosu여수 (麗水) -950/1,2201986-06-141986-11-281986-12-012017-12-27Daewoo Heavy IndustriesRecommissioned as HQ 20 of Vietnam People's Navy in 2018766Jinhae진해 (鎭海) -950/1,2201987-03-181988-07-021988-09-302017-12-27Hyundai Heavy IndustriesLead ship of PCC Batch-IV767Suncheon순천 (順天)-950/1,2201987-04-031988-07-301988-09-302019-12-24Korea Tacoma2nd Suncheon after PCE 1002/712768Iksan익산 (益山)Iri (이리; 裡里)950/1,2201987-03-241988-09-13-2018-12-31Hyundai Heavy IndustriesName changed from Iri to Iksan on Feb 1, 1999771Andong안동 (安東) -971/1,2731988-05-281988-12-291989-01-052020-12-31Korea Shipbuilding Corp.2nd Andong after LST 803772Cheonan천안 (天安) -972/1,2231987-07-241988-12-301989-01-052010-06-11Korea TacomaOn March 26, 2010, ROKS Cheonan was sunk by a North Korean torpedo, resulting in death of 46 sailors; Wreckage displayed at 2nd Fleet; 3rd Cheonan after LCI 101, LST 801

Patrol craft Patrol craft were named for birds.

Baekgu class Baekgu means the seagull in Korean. Geomdoksuri means the golden eagle in Korean. ClassROKN classificationHull numberName (a.k.a.)Hangul name (Hanja)Formerly known asDisplacement (light/full, tons)Launch dateDelivery dateCommission dateDecommission dateBuilderNoteAsheville classPGM: Patrol Gunboat Missile (aka PSMM)11 →101(1974) →351a →581Baekgu 11 →Baekgu 101 (1974) →Baekgu 51a →Geomdoksuri 581백구 11/101/51 →검독수리 581USS Benicia (PG-96)186/2401969-12-201971-10-151972-02-211996-10-31Tacoma Boatbuilding Co.Delivered in San DiegoPGM 102 class 102 →352a →582Geomdoksuri 582검독수리 582Baekgu 102 →Baekgu 52a180/260 -1974-12-021975-04-291996-10-31Tacoma Boatbuilding Co.Armed w/ 2 Standard ARM103 →353a →583Geomdoksuri 583검독수리 582Baekgu 103 →Baekgu 53a180/260 -1975-03-061975-04-291996-12-28Tacoma Boatbuilding Co.Armed w/ 2 Standard ARM105 →355a →585Geomdoksuri 585검독수리 585Baekgu 105 →Baekgu 55a180/2601975-04-221975-09-271975-09-271997-06-30Korea TacomaArmed w/ 2 Standard ARM; Assembled in S. KoreaPGM 106 class106 →356a

→586Geomdoksuri 586검독수리 586Baekgu 106 →Baekgu 56a180/260 -1977-08-151978-04-151998-07-31Korea TacomaArmed w/ 4 Harpoon missiles107 →357a

→587Geomdoksuri 587검독수리 587Baekgu 107 →Baekgu 57a180/260 -1977-09-151978-04-151998-02-28Korea TacomaArmed w/ 4 Harpoon missiles108 →358a

→588Geomdoksuri 588검독수리 588Baekgu 108 →Baekgu 58a180/260 -1978-05-311978-08-011998-02-28Korea TacomaArmed w/ 4 Harpoon missiles109 →359a

→589Geomdoksuri 589검독수리 589Baekgu 109 →Baekgu 59a180/260 -1977-12-151978-06-011998-07-31Korea TacomaArmed w/ 4 Harpoon missiles; Built by Tacoma Boatbuilding Co. thru sub contract111 →361a

→591Geomdoksuri 591검독수리 591Baekgu 111 →Baekgu 61a180/260 -1978-02-041978-06-011998-07-31Korea TacomaBuilt by Tacoma Boatbuilding Co. thru sub contract

Chamsuri class Gireogi means wild goose in Korean. Chamsuri means the sea eagle in Korean. ClassROKN classificationHull numberName (a.k.a.)Hangul name (Hanja)Formerly known asDisplacement (light/full, tons)Launch dateDelivery dateCommission dateDecommission dateBuilderNoteKIST Boat classPKM →PKMM: Patrol Killer Medium Missile

→PKMPBK 10 →PKM 121

→PKMM 271a

→PKM 271Chamsuri 271참수리 271Gireogi 121 →Gireogi 71a105/120 -1971-01-181974-01-011996-11-30Naval Ship Yard (해군공창)Armed w/ 2 Exocet missiles as PKMMPBK 11 →PKM 122

→PKMM 272a

→PKM 272Chamsuri 272참수리 271Gireogi 122 →Gireogi 72a127/133 -1974-03-311974-04-301996-11-30Naval Ship YardArmed w/ 2 Exocet missiles as PKMMCPIC class (Coastal Patrol and Interdiction Craft)PKM: Patrol Killer Medium123 →211aGireogi 123