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Contracted workers from a specialized firm remove accumulated grime and salt from the destroyer Dae Jo Yeong during a ship cleaning process while docked at Jinhae Naval Base on July 7. / Courtesy of ROK Navy

South Korea's Navy announced on July 21 that it is outsourcing non-combat duties—such as vessel cleaning and ammunition handling—to private contractors to relieve task burdens on service members amid declining troop levels.

According to the Navy, a pilot program delegating five categories of non-combat tasks to private firms has allowed crew members to focus entirely on combat readiness while simultaneously generating private-sector jobs.

Initiated in April, the pilot program outsources labor-intensive harbor services essential during port arrivals and departures. The five delegated tasks include handling mooring lines, connecting and removing shore power cables, fuel supply and transfer operations, interior and exterior ship cleaning, and the collection and disposal of maintenance waste.

Currently implemented for vessels docking at Jinhae Naval Base, the initiative has supported 45 ships across 157 instances, with plans to scale up to roughly 500 support sessions by the end of the year.

The Navy explained that each long-term deployed vessel gains approximately two to three additional days of downtime upon returning to port, providing crew members with crucial time for rest, operational training, and instruction.

Furthermore, heavy-labor tasks involving ammunition loading and unloading have also been transitioned to private contractors. Following a one-year trial for submarines launched in June last year, weekday operational efficiency improved significantly, cutting holiday work hours down to one-fourth. Building on this success, the Navy expanded the service in June to cover surface ships entering and leaving Jinhae Naval Base.

Under the expanded program, specialized private personnel handle comprehensive onshore and shipboard loading and unloading tasks—including unboxing ammunition and unbolting storage units. Crew members now directly manage only internal ammunition tasks directly linked to ship operations.

Additionally, onboard catering support services—previously trialed at select ports—were expanded in May to cover all vessels anchored at Jinhae Naval Base. Participating ships receive weekday lunches prepared and delivered from shore facilities, complete with post-meal cleanup.

Col. Seong Dong-il, head of the Warship Equipment Management Division at Naval Headquarters, noted, "To address manpower shortages, we are expanding private-sector outsourcing for non-combat tasks so our service members can focus on combat missions and secure proper rest." He added, "This not only improves actual serving conditions for our troops but also creates synergistic benefits through private job creation."

Cmdr. Won Bong-yeon, chief engineer aboard the Aegis-equipped destroyer Seoae Ryu Seong-ryong, remarked, "The burden of auxiliary tasks after returning to port has decreased to a degree that troops can genuinely feel." He added, "We will channel the saved time into our core missions to repay the nation with strong combat readiness."

                                                                                                             Lee Han-sol