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Navy comparison: Flag of South Korea South Korea vs Flag of Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia

South Korea's 164-ship navy outnumbers Saudi Arabia's 37 vessels (4.4:1 advantage). Of these, 154 and 30 are in active service respectively.

SEAS (Sea Equipment Aggregate Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
Naval ensign of South Korea South KoreaWorld #7 41.4
SEAS Index / 100

South Korea leads on 6 of 7 categories

Naval ensign of Saudi Arabia Saudi ArabiaWorld #26 17.0
  • 13 Destroyersweight ×50 · size, era 0
  • 21 Submarinesweight ×45 · size, era 0
  • 18 Frigatesweight ×30 · size, era 7
  • 5 Corvettesweight ×15 · size, era 9
  • 21 Amphibiousweight ×12 · size, era 0
  • 23 Mine warfareweight ×5 · size, era 3
  • 35 Patrol boatsweight ×2 · size, era 9
  • 4 Support shipsnot scored 2
  • 14 Other shipsnot scored 0
South Korea Saudi Arabia Bars: weighted contribution to the SEAS Index (hulls × category weight × size, era and propulsion factors, minor vessels capped at 30 % of the combatant points; the air-wing, sustainment, armament and availability multipliers apply on top) · figures: active hulls at each side's latest inventory year · Methodology
Key figures as of 2026
South Korea Saudi Arabia Ratio
Official name Republic of Korea Navy Royal Saudi Navy
Total ships 164 37 🇰🇷 4.4×
Active ships 154 30 🇰🇷 5.1×
On order / planned 6 5 🇰🇷 1.2×
Submarines 21 0 🇰🇷
Principal surface combatants 31 7 🇰🇷 4.4×
Amphibious ships 21 0 🇰🇷
Show full breakdown · 4 more rowsHide the 4 extra rows
Corvettes 5 9 🇸🇦 1.8×
Patrol boats 35 9 🇰🇷 3.9×
Mine warfare 23 3 🇰🇷 7.7×
Auxiliaries 18 2 🇰🇷 9.0×
Backbone classes one per tier held
🇰🇷 South KoreaChang Bogo-class ×9Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin-class ×6Daegu-class ×8
🇸🇦 Saudi ArabiaAl Madinah-class ×4Avante 2200-class ×5
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South Korea vsNorth KoreaUnited StatesJapanIndiaChina
Saudi Arabia vsUnited StatesIranIsraelTaiwanTurkey

Frequently Asked Questions

Which country has more naval ships, South Korea or Saudi Arabia?
South Korea has a larger navy with 164 ships compared to Saudi Arabia's 37 ships.
Which navy has more submarines, South Korea or Saudi Arabia?
South Korea operates more submarines with 24 compared to Saudi Arabia's 0.
Which navy has more destroyers, South Korea or Saudi Arabia?
South Korea operates 15 destroyers compared to Saudi Arabia's 0.
Which navy has more frigates, South Korea or Saudi Arabia?
South Korea operates 22 frigates compared to Saudi Arabia's 11.
How do the South Korea and Saudi Arabia navies compare in size?
South Korea's navy is 4.4 times larger than Saudi Arabia's in terms of total ships (164 vs 37).