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List of active ships of the Korean People's Navy

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Summary

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This is a list of active ships of the Korean People's Navy, the naval service of North Korea. Most of the list includes ships of North Korean Origin. Yet, it also contains types that are less frequently used, with their origins from the former communist countries of the Soviet Union, and China. In late years, the production of lightly armored, yet mobile and maneuverable small PT Torpedo Boats increased, as well as patrol and landing craft used in case of national emergency. Submarines, on the other were costly, hard to manufacture. The corvettes of the Korean People's Navy were all outclassed by the 2000s and new ones are still under way.

Submarines

Type	Class	In service	Notes	Photo
Diesel-electric submarine	Sinpo/Gorae-class	2	First vessel in shipyard 2014, Experimental Ballistic Missile Submarine. May also be known as 'Gorae' (Whale class). Some reports suggests as many as six boats are being built, although others indicate that this is a single ship class for missile launch development only.
Diesel-electric coastal submarine	Sang-O-class	40	Manufactured in two variants, 34m Sang-O and 39m Sang-O II. 40 Sang-O I and 6 Sang-O II in operation. 1 Sang-O I captured by ROK. North Korean Special Operation Force uses specially equipped Sang-O for missions.	[[File:Gangneung sub 8990.jpg	225x225px]]
Diesel-electric midget submarine	Yono-class	36	Iran operates a variant as the Ghadir-class submarine
Diesel-electric submarine	Type-033	20	KPA Journal reported that these are being phased out in favor of Sang-O/Sang-O II. One has been modified to launch ballistic missiles. Sold as kits from China and was assembled in North Korea. Used by North Korean Special Operation Force for special maritime missions.	[[File:潜艇.JPG	225x225px]]

Destroyers

Type	Class	Country of origin	In service	Notes	Photo
Destroyer	Choe Hyon-class		1	First ship commissioned on April 25, 2025.
	Destroyer	Choe Hyon-class		1	Second ship of the class launched on June 12, 2025

Frigates and corvettes

Type	Class	In service	Notes	Photo
Light frigate	Najin-class	2+	Old vessels, one was modernized in 2014	[[File:North Korean Navy corvette.jpg	225x225px]]
Corvette	Amnok-class	title=AMNOK corvettes (2015-2016)	url=https://www.navypedia.org/ships/korea_north/kon_es_amnok.htm	access-date=2024-11-26	website=www.navypedia.org}}	Allegedly built using Krivak class hull. Has 8 Kumsong-3 (KN-19) anti ship missiles, 6 FN-6 SAM missiles, 1 76mm gun, 2 AK-230 anti air guns, 4 533mm torpedoes and 4 RBU-1200 anti submarine rocket launchers
Corvette	Nampo-class	2	One more likely under construction. Also called Tuman class.
Corvette	Sariwon-class	4	Based on Tral-class	[[File:North_Korean_Navy_ship.jpg	225x225px]]
Corvette/minesweeper	Fugas-class minesweeper	1	Ex-Т-2 Tros (c. 1935) transferred 1953. Probably in reserve due to old age.

Note: Satellite images from 2007 indicate that the empty hull of a Krivak-class frigate was purchased by North Korea around 2003. The ship was likely bought from a Russian scrap dealer, lacking any weapons or radar upon purchase. While it was assumed that North Korea purchased the hull for scrap metal, it remains in its original state for nearly five years, and has been transported from Wonsan to Nampo Harbor.

Torpedo boats and missile craft

Type	Class	In service	Photo
SES Stealth missile boat	Nongo class	7
PTG missile craft	Soju class	10	[[File:Osa-I class Project205 DN-SN-84-01770.jpg	225x225px]]
PTG missile craft	Huangfeng class	4	[[File:青岛海军博物馆3101号导弹艇.jpg	225x225px]]
PTG small missile boat	Komar class	6
PT small torpedo boat	Sin Hung class torpedo boat / Ku Song class torpedo boat	84
Semi sub torpedo boat	Daedong class torpedo boat	3

Patrol boats

Type	Class	In service	Photo
PG gun patrol boat	T Class patrol boat	N/A
PG gun patrol boat	Mayang class patrol boat	N/A
PC large coastal patrol boat	Taechong class I/II patrol boat	12	[[File:TAECHONG PC.jpg	225x225px]]
PC large coastal patrol boat	Hainan class	6	[[File:駐港部隊艦艇大隊037II型-771導彈艦.JPG	225x225px]]
PC/PT/PTG/WPC coastal/torpedo/armed patrol boat	Chong-Ju class patrol boat	6
PC coastal patrol boat	SO-1 class patrol boat	19
Coastal patrol boat	Shanghai 2 class	13	[[File:Type 062-class gunboat, October 2014-1.jpg	225x225px]]
PC small coastal patrol boats	Sinpo class (Steel version of Pr. 183)	18
Patrol boat	Chongjin class (Pr. 183 with ZIS-S-53 and two 2M-5)	54
attack crafts	Chaho class (Based on Pr. 183 torpedo boats)	59

Utility/landing craft

Type	Class	In service
LCU utility landing craft	Hantae class
LCM medium landing craft	Hungnam class	15
LCU medium landing craft	Hanchon class	36
LCPA amphibious landing craft	Kong Bang class I/II/III
LCP Landing Craft, Personnel	Nampo class
PT assault torpedo boats	Chong Jin class - based on Chaho class
LCPA amphibious landing craft	Nampo class A/B	48
LCVP Landing Craft, Vehicle and Personnel	Nampo class
ACV assault hovercraft	Kongbang class
Minesweeping boats	Yukto class
Fleet Ocean Tugboat	AT/F
WPB coastal cutters	Yongdo class
WPB coastal cutters	N/A
ASR Submarine rescue ship (Catamaran-hulled rescue/salvage ship)	Kowan class	1
AS - Submarine tender	N/A	1
Ocean AGHS - Patrol Combatant Support Ship	N/A	1
Inshore AGHS - Patrol Combatant Support Ship	N/A	30
Very slender vessels	Nalchi class

Naval Aviation

Only 4 ships in the KPN have aviation capability with Nampo-class corvette and two Choe Hyon-class destroyers the only active ships with facilities. The rotary aircraft would likely be the Mil Mi-4 PL Mil Mi-14 PL (ASW) and are flown by Korean People's Army Air and Anti-Air Force.

References

Joseph s. Bermudez Jr.. (19 October 2014). "The North Korean Navy Acquires a New Submarine". U.S.-Korea Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.
(4 November 2014). "Media Busters: Is North Korea Building a Ballistic Missile Submarine?". U.S.-Korea Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.
Joseph S. Bermudez Jr.. (March 2011). "KPA Journal Vol.2, No.3".
"Ballistic Missile Submarines and Submarine-launched Ballistic Missiles of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea".
"North Korean leader Kim touts new naval destroyer, blames US for tensions".
"N. Korea's damaged warship launched {{!}} Yonhap News Agency".
(December 15, 2014). "KPA Navy flag ship undergoing radical modernization | NK News - North Korea News".
"AMNOK corvettes (2015-2016)".
"FF Tuman-class corvette".
"FF Nampo Class".
Yoo, Yong Won & Arumdaunchonsa. (2007-11-07). "유용원의 군사세계: 북한 남포항에 3000t급 러시아 호위함이 왜? (A 3000t Russian Frigate in North Korea's Nampo Harbor?)". [[North Korea.
(February 8, 2015). "Korean People's Navy Tests New Anti-ship Cruise Missile".
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/reboot/north-koreas-navy-could-swarm-south-small-missile-boats-183415
(2020-12-19). "North Korean Navy – Auxiliaries and Other Ships".
(2018-07-19). "First images of newly-built North Korean warship published by state media {{!}} NK News".
Mizokami, Kyle. (July 22, 2017). "Everything You Need to Know about North Korea's Navy".
(May 15, 2014). "New North Korean Helicopter Frigates Spotted".

Wikipedia Source

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