Defense chief welcomes donations from South Korea

MANILA, Philippines — Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana welcomed on Wednesday the possibility that South Korea may donate two more retired Pohang-class corvettes to the Philippine Navy.

South Korea donated last year its retired Pohang-class ship “Chungju” to the Philippines which commissioned it as the BRP Conrado Yap (PS-39).

Built in the 1980s, Pohang-class corvettes are armed with 76mm Oto Melara guns, 40mm cannons, depth-charge racks, triple torpedo tubes and surveillance systems. South Korea also built the country’s first frigate, the BRP Jose Rizal.

—Jeannette I. Andrade