South Korea plans to construct two new naval bases near the increasingly contested waters of the South China Sea and East Sea. One base is planned for Ulleung Island, just west of the Dokdo/Takeshima Islets claimed by both South Korea and Japan. The second will be a built on the southern island of Jeju, which is intended to give the South Korean navy better access to the South China Sea and beyond. Construction is set to begin in 2012 and be completed by 2015. The base on Ulleung is ostensibly being constructed to allow South Korean naval vessels to quickly access the disputed Dokdo/Takeshima Islets, but this is more about public relations than strategic concerns. The Jeju base, however, will be a large facility capable of hosting Aegis-class destroyers and aircraft carriers not far from the South China Sea. South Korea is a major exporting nation and needs steady access to resources, outside markets and supply lines. With China increasingly assertive about securing its maritime interests and Japan still likely the single strongest navy in the Asia-Pacific region aside from the United States, Seoul is attempting to secure its interests through this military infrastructure expansion.
