List of Active North Korean Ships - Frigates & Corvettes

Frigates & Corvettes

Note: Recent satellite images 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 to scrap it for scrap metal, it remains in its original state for nearly five years, and has recently been transported from Wonsan to Nampo Harbor. Because the hull still remains intact, North Korea is believed to have plans for reinstalling weapons systems (including provisions for helicopters, naval guns and as a testbed for North Korea's newly developed Anti-Ship Missile) upon the empty hull, subsequently transforming it into North Korea's flagship. Furthermore, this claim is reinforced by the fact that a shipyard lies close to Nampo Harbor. Nevertheless, the ship currently remains only as an empty hull. Note: In the most current Google Earth imagery the Krivak is no longer in Nampho Harbor likely meaning the ship has either been scrapped or brought into service.