Sailors wave Korean and Colombian flags at a naval base in Jinhae, South Gyeongsang Province, Wednesday, during an event to commemorate the handover of the decommissioned patrol combat corvette Anyang to the Colombian Navy. / Courtesy of Navy



By Jun Ji-hye

The South Korean Navy Wednesday handed over a decommissioned patrol ship to the Colombian Navy free of charge, officials said.

The Navy held an event to commemorate the handover at its base in Jinhae, South Gyeongsang Province.

The patrol combat corvette (PCC) Anyang was commissioned in December 1983 and retired in September 2011 from protecting the nation's waters.

The 1,200-ton Anyang has become the first corvette transferred to a foreign country, the Navy said in a press release.

"Colombia was the only country that dispatched its 5,100 troops and frigates during the 1950-53 Korean War among countries of Central and South America," the release said.

The Colombian Navy renamed the ship "Narino" after the country's independence fighter Antonio Narino.

"The handover is expected to strengthen the two countries' military and defense industry cooperation," said the Navy.

The Anyang departed from a port in Jinhae and will cross the Pacific Ocean before arriving in Colombia, via the United States and Mexico, at the end of September. The ship will be tasked with patrolling the sea off the country's coast.

The handover came after the defense ministries of the two countries signed a contract in July of last year.

Rep. Kim Sung-chan of the ruling Saenuri Party, who belongs to the defense committee of the National Assembly, and Colombian Ambassador to Korea Tito Saul Pinilla attended the commemorative event.

"The Navy will continue to push for active cooperation in defense affairs with allied countries to contribute to enhancing the nation's status and promoting national interests," the Navy said.

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