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

North Korea's 395-ship navy outnumbers Vietnam's 117 vessels (3.4:1 advantage). Of these, 392 and 112 are in active service respectively.

SEAS (Sea Equipment Aggregate Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
Naval ensign of North Korea North KoreaWorld #7 41.5
SEAS Index / 100

North Korea leads on 4 of 8 categories

Naval ensign of Vietnam VietnamWorld #16 30.9
  • 1 Destroyersweight ×50 0
  • 22 Submarinesweight ×45 6
  • 2 Frigatesweight ×30 9
  • 10 Corvettesweight ×15 17
  • 0 Amphibiousweight ×12 8
  • 0 Mine warfareweight ×5 8
  • 187 Patrol boatsweight ×2 32
  • 170 Coastal boatsweight ×1 3
  • 0 Support shipsnot scored 19
  • 0 Other shipsnot scored 10
North Korea Vietnam Bars: weighted contribution to the SEAS Index (hulls × category weight) · figures: active hulls at each side's latest inventory year · Methodology
Key figures as of 2026
North Korea Vietnam Ratio
Official name Korean People's Army Naval Force Vietnam People's Navy
Total ships 395 117 🇰🇵 3.4×
Active ships 392 112 🇰🇵 3.5×
On order / planned 2 1 🇰🇵 2.0×
Submarines 22 6 🇰🇵 3.7×
Principal surface combatants 3 9 🇻🇳 3.0×
Amphibious ships 0 8 🇻🇳
Show full breakdown · 5 more rowsHide the 5 extra rows
Corvettes 10 17 🇻🇳 1.7×
Patrol boats 187 32 🇰🇵 5.8×
Mine warfare 0 8 🇻🇳
Coastal boats 170 3 🇰🇵 57×
Auxiliaries 0 29 🇻🇳
Backbone classes one per tier held
🇰🇵 North KoreaRomeo-class ×20Choe Hyon-class ×1Najin-class ×2
🇻🇳 VietnamKilo-class ×6Petya-class ×5Project 1241.1 Molniya-class ×12
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Frequently Asked Questions

Which country has more naval ships, North Korea or Vietnam?
North Korea has a larger navy with 395 ships compared to Vietnam's 117 ships.
Which navy has more submarines, North Korea or Vietnam?
North Korea operates more submarines with 22 compared to Vietnam's 6.
Which navy has more destroyers, North Korea or Vietnam?
North Korea operates 4 destroyers compared to Vietnam's 0.
Which navy has more frigates, North Korea or Vietnam?
Vietnam operates 9 frigates compared to North Korea's 2.
How do the North Korea and Vietnam navies compare in size?
North Korea's navy is 3.4 times larger than Vietnam's in terms of total ships (395 vs 117).