Situated in the southeastern coast of the Korean Peninsula, Jinhae has been the major naval port in Korea since the Imperial Japanese Navy built a naval base during the Japanese occupation period. After Korea was liberated from the Empire of Japan, the Korean Coast Guard (later the ROK Navy) was formed in Jinhae. Jinhae Naval Base is the principal homeport of the Republic of Korea Fleet, and hosts vital naval facilities including the Naval Shipyard. The Jinhae Naval Base Command is responsible for protecting the area.