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Navy comparison: Flag of North Korea North Korea vs Flag of Taiwan Taiwan

North Korea's 391 warships outnumber Taiwan's 86 (4.5:1 advantage). Counting auxiliaries, reserve and non-commissioned hulls, the fleets number 420 and 90.

SEAS (Sea Equipment Aggregate Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
Naval ensign of North Korea North KoreaWorld #26 18.0
SEAS Index / 100

Taiwan leads on 5 of 8 categories

Naval ensign of Taiwan TaiwanWorld #12 26.0
  • 2 Destroyersweight ×50 · size, era 4
  • 21 Submarinesweight ×45 · size, era 4
  • 2 Frigatesweight ×30 · size, era 21
  • 9 Corvettesweight ×15 · size, era 8
  • 0 Amphibiousweight ×12 · size, era 8
  • 0 Mine warfareweight ×5 · size, era 10
  • 181 Patrol boatsweight ×2 · size, era 1
  • 176 Coastal boatsweight ×1 · size, era 30
  • 1 Support shipsnot scored 4
  • 1 Other shipsnot scored 0
North Korea Taiwan 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
North Korea Taiwan Ratio
Official name Korean People's Army Naval Force Republic of China Navy
Total ships 420 90 🇰🇵 4.7×
Active ships 393 90 🇰🇵 4.4×
On order / planned 3 14 🇹🇼 4.7×
Submarines 21 4 🇰🇵 5.2×
Principal surface combatants 4 25 🇹🇼 6.2×
Amphibious ships 0 8 🇹🇼
Show full breakdown · 5 more rowsHide the 5 extra rows
Corvettes 9 8 🇰🇵 1.1×
Patrol boats 181 1 🇰🇵 181×
Mine warfare 0 10 🇹🇼
Coastal boats 176 30 🇰🇵 5.9×
Auxiliaries 2 4 🇹🇼 2.0×
Backbone classes one per tier held
🇰🇵 North KoreaRomeo-class ×20Choe Hyon-class ×2Najin-class ×2
🇹🇼 TaiwanHai Lung-class ×2Kee Lung-class ×4Cheng Kung-class ×10
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Frequently Asked Questions

Which country has more naval ships, North Korea or Taiwan?
North Korea has a larger navy with 391 warships in service compared to Taiwan's 86.
Which navy has more submarines, North Korea or Taiwan?
North Korea operates more submarines with 21 compared to Taiwan's 4.
Which navy has more destroyers, North Korea or Taiwan?
Taiwan operates 4 destroyers compared to North Korea's 2.
Which navy has more frigates, North Korea or Taiwan?
Taiwan operates 21 frigates compared to North Korea's 2.
How do the North Korea and Taiwan navies compare in size?
North Korea's navy is 4.5 times larger than Taiwan's in terms of total ships (391 vs 86).