South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff( JCS) decided Tuesday to increase the number of its 7,600-ton Aegis destroyers from the current three to six by 2027 to strengthen its maritime combat capabilities against possible provocation from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

JCS chairman Choi Yun-hee approved the plan to build three new Aegis destroyers between 2023 and 2027 at the meeting with chiefs of the Army, Air Force and Navy. A combined 4 trillion won (3.8 billion U.S. dollars) will be spent on the project.

The JCS said that the planned buildup was aimed at enhancing military capabilities against mounting nuclear and missile threats from the DPRK and potential clashes with neighboring countries, according to local media reports.

The three new Aegis destroyers were expected to raise the number of South Korea's task fleet to three as one fleet usually requires two Aegis-class combat ships.

Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok told a routine press briefing that the three Aegis ships, owned now by the South Korean Navy, were in operation under the very tight schedule as the operation usually requires at least four ships.

Kim said that the parliamentary defense committee requested the increase in Aegis ships, noting that more Aegis ships were necessary to strengthen capabilities of its fleets.