Navy Cpt. Bae Sun-young, the first female commanding officer of the ROK Dokdo amphibious assault ship / Courtesy of Republic of Korea Navy
The Navy said Tuesday it has appointed a female officer for the first time to lead its large amphibious transport ship, reflecting a commitment to personnel selections based on merit rather than gender.
Cpt. Bae Sun-young will command the 14,500-ton ROKS Dokdo amphibious transport ship, starting Wednesday, the Navy said in a release.
Bae joined the Naval Academy in 1999, the year the institution began to recruit female cadets. She was commissioned in 2003.
Bae has since taken on key roles in naval operations, serving as the commanding officer of the Chamsuri patrol boat and on the Wonsan minelayer ship.
