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.
| Type | Class | Country of Origin | 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.Second submarine launched in September 2023.[1] [2] | ||
| 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. | ||
| 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.[3] Sold as kits from China and was assembled in North Korea.[4] Used by North Korean Special Operation Force for special maritime missions. | ||
| Type | Class | Country of Origin | Name | Notes | Photo | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light frigate | Najin-class | 531 | Old vessels, one was modernized in 2014[5] | |||
| 631 | ||||||
| Corvette | Amnok-class | 2 | Allegedly built using Krivak class hull.[6] | |||
| Corvette | Nampo-class | 2 | One more likely under construction. Also called Tuman class.[7] | |||
| Corvette | Sariwon-class | 4 | Based on Tral-class | |||
| 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.[8]
| Type | Class | Country of Origin | In Service | Notes | Photo | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SES Stealth missile boat | Nongo class | 7 | [9] [10] | |||
| PTG missile craft | Soju class | 10 | ||||
| PTG missile craft | Huangfeng class | 4 | ||||
| PTG small missile boat | Komar class | 6 | ||||
| Sin Hung class torpedo boat / Ku Song class torpedo boat | 84 | |||||
| Semi sub torpedo boat | Daedong class torpedo boat | 3 |
| Type | Class | Country of Origin | 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 | |||
| PC large coastal patrol boat | Hainan class | 6 | |||
| 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 | |||
| 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 |
| Type | Class | Country of Origin | In Service | LCU utility landing craft | Hantae class | 188 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LCM medium landing craft | Hungnam class | 15 | ||||||
| LCU medium landing craft | Hanchon class | 36 | ||||||
| LCPA amphibious landing craft | Kong Bang class I/II/III | 199 | ||||||
| Nampo class | 1110 | |||||||
| PT assault torpedo boats | Chong Jin class - based on Chaho class | 500 | ||||||
| LCPA amphibious landing craft | Nampo class A/B | 48 | ||||||
| Nampo class | 109 | |||||||
| ACV assault hovercraft | Kongbang class | 135–14 | ||||||
| Minesweeping boats | Yukto class | 230 | ||||||
| Fleet Ocean Tugboat | AT/F | 200 | ||||||
| WPB coastal cutters | Yongdo class | 1000 | ||||||
| WPB coastal cutters | N/A | 200 | ||||||
| ASR Submarine rescue ship (Catamaran-hulled rescue/salvage ship) | Kowan class | 1[11] | ||||||
| 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[12] |
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.