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List of active ships of the Korean People's Navy

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Korean People's Navy

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 Korean Origin. Yet, it also contains types that are less frequently used, with their origins from past communist countries of the Soviet Union, and China. In late years, the production of lightly armored, but 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

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Type Class Country of Origin In Service Notes Photo
Diesel-electric submarine Sinpo/Gorae-class  North Korea 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.

Second submarine launched in September 2023.[1][2]

Diesel-electric coastal submarine Sang-O-class  North Korea 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.
Diesel-electric midget submarine Yono-class  North Korea 36 Iran operates a variant as the Ghadir-class submarine
Diesel-electric submarine Type-033  People's Republic of China 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.[3] Sold as kits from China and was assembled in North Korea.[4] Used by North Korean Special Operation Force for special maritime missions.

Frigates & Corvettes

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Type Class Country of Origin Name Notes Photo
Light frigate Najin-class  North Korea 531 Old vessels, one was modernized in 2014[5]
631
Corvette Amnok-class  North Korea 2 Allegedly built using Krivak class hull.[6]
Corvette Nampo-class  North Korea 2 One more likely under construction. Also called Tuman class.[7]
Corvette Sariwon-class  North Korea 4 Based on Tral-class
Corvette/minesweeper Fugas-class minesweeper  Soviet Union 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.[8]

Torpedo boats & missile craft

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Type Class Country of Origin In Service Notes Photo
SES Stealth missile boat Nongo class  North Korea 7 [9][10]
PTG missile craft Soju class  North Korea 10
PTG missile craft Huangfeng class  People's Republic of China 4
PTG small missile boat Komar class  Soviet Union 6
PT small torpedo boat Sin Hung class torpedo boat / Ku Song class torpedo boat  North Korea 84
Semi sub torpedo boat Daedong class torpedo boat  North Korea 3

Patrol boats

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Type Class Country of Origin In Service Photo
PG gun patrol boat T Class patrol boat  North Korea N/A
PG gun patrol boat Mayang class patrol boat  North Korea N/A
PC large coastal patrol boat Taechong class I/II patrol boat  North Korea 12
PC large coastal patrol boat Hainan class  People's Republic of China 6
PC/PT/PTG/WPC coastal/torpedo/armed patrol boat Chong-Ju class patrol boat  North Korea 6
PC coastal patrol boat SO-1 class patrol boat  Soviet Union 19
Coastal patrol boat Shanghai 2 class  People's Republic of China 13
PC small coastal patrol boats Sinpo class (Steel version of Pr. 183)  North Korea 18
Patrol boat Chongjin class (Pr. 183 with ZIS-S-53 and two 2M-5)  North Korea 54
attack crafts Chaho class (Based on Pr. 183 torpedo boats)  North Korea 59

Utility/landing craft

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Type Class Country of Origin In Service
LCU utility landing craft Hantae class  North Korea 188
LCM medium landing craft Hungnam class  North Korea 15
LCU medium landing craft Hanchon class  North Korea 36
LCPA amphibious landing craft Kong Bang class I/II/III  North Korea 199
LCP Landing Craft, Personnel Nampo class  North Korea 1110
PT assault torpedo boats Chong Jin class - based on Chaho class  North Korea 500
LCPA amphibious landing craft Nampo class A/B  North Korea 48
LCVP Landing Craft, Vehicle and Personnel Nampo class  North Korea 109
ACV assault hovercraft Kongbang class  North Korea 135–14
Minesweeping boats Yukto class  North Korea 230
Fleet Ocean Tugboat AT/F  North Korea 200
WPB coastal cutters Yongdo class  North Korea 1000
WPB coastal cutters N/A  North Korea 200
ASR Submarine rescue ship (Catamaran-hulled rescue/salvage ship) Kowan class  North Korea 1[11]
AS - Submarine tender N/A  North Korea 1
Ocean AGHS - Patrol Combatant Support Ship N/A  North Korea 1
Inshore AGHS - Patrol Combatant Support Ship N/A  North Korea 30
Very slender vessels Nalchi class[12]  North Korea
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Only 2 ships in the KPN have aviation capability with only the Nampo-class corvette the only active ship with facilities (so far only 1 Nampo vessel has visible landing pad).[13] The rotary aircraft would likely be the Mil Mi-4 PL Mil Mi-14 PL (ASW)[14] and are flown by Korean People's Army Air and Anti-Air Force.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Joseph s. Bermudez Jr. (19 October 2014). "The North Korean Navy Acquires a New Submarine". 38 North. U.S.-Korea Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  2. ^ "Media Busters: Is North Korea Building a Ballistic Missile Submarine?". 38 North. U.S.-Korea Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. 4 November 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  3. ^ Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. (March 2011). "KPA Journal Vol.2, No.3" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-11-01.
  4. ^ "Ballistic Missile Submarines and Submarine-launched Ballistic Missiles of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea". oneearthfuture.org. Archived from the original on 2021-10-27. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
  5. ^ "KPA Navy flag ship undergoing radical modernization | NK News - North Korea News". December 15, 2014.
  6. ^ "FF Tuman-class corvette". www.globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  7. ^ "FF Nampo Class". www.globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  8. ^ 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?)". Chosun. Retrieved 2007-11-07.(Korean)
  9. ^ "North Korean Kh-35 anti-ship missiles shed light on a modernizing navy".
  10. ^ "Korean People's Navy Tests New Anti-ship Cruise Missile". 38 North. February 8, 2015.
  11. ^ "North Korean Navy – Auxiliaries and Other Ships". The Searchers. 2020-12-19. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  12. ^ "First images of newly-built North Korean warship published by state media | NK News". NK News. 2018-07-19. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  13. ^ Mizokami, Kyle (July 22, 2017). "Everything You Need to Know about North Korea's Navy". The National Interest.
  14. ^ "New North Korean Helicopter Frigates Spotted". 38 North. May 15, 2014.
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