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

North Korea's 421-ship navy outnumbers Taiwan's 107 vessels (3.9:1 advantage). Of these, 390 and 97 are in active service respectively.

SEAS (Sea Equipment Aggregate Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
Naval ensign of North Korea North KoreaWorld #25 17.4
SEAS Index / 100

Taiwan leads on 6 of 8 categories

Naval ensign of Taiwan TaiwanWorld #11 25.8
  • 1 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
  • 187 Patrol boatsweight ×2 · size, era 37
  • 170 Coastal boatsweight ×1 · size, era 0
  • 0 Support shipsnot scored 5
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 421 107 🇰🇵 3.9×
Active ships 390 97 🇰🇵 4.0×
On order / planned 2 7 🇹🇼 3.5×
Submarines 21 4 🇰🇵 5.2×
Principal surface combatants 3 25 🇹🇼 8.3×
Amphibious ships 0 8 🇹🇼
Show full breakdown · 5 more rowsHide the 5 extra rows
Corvettes 9 8 🇰🇵 1.1×
Patrol boats 187 37 🇰🇵 5.1×
Mine warfare 0 10 🇹🇼
Coastal boats 170 0 🇰🇵
Auxiliaries 0 5 🇹🇼
Backbone classes one per tier held
🇰🇵 North KoreaRomeo-class ×20Choe Hyon-class ×1Najin-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 421 ships compared to Taiwan's 107 ships.
Which navy has more submarines, North Korea or Taiwan?
North Korea operates more submarines with 22 compared to Taiwan's 12.
Which navy has more destroyers, North Korea or Taiwan?
Taiwan operates 4 destroyers compared to North Korea's 4.
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 3.9 times larger than Taiwan's in terms of total ships (421 vs 107).