Disappeared North Korean Warships from Records... Is Kim Jong-un Hiding 'Naval Power'?

Kim Jong-un Orders Naval Power Enhancement Since Last Fall
Information on North Korean Warships Registered in International Organizations Deleted Simultaneously
Did North Korea Feel Pressure as Interest in Its Naval Assets Increased?

North Korean naval assets previously registered with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) have disappeared one after another. There is speculation that North Korea, which has been pushing to "strengthen naval power," may feel burdened by external attention to its military assets.

According to Voice of America (VOA) on the 30th, from the afternoon of the 29th (local time), information on all North Korean warships is no longer searchable in the IMO's Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS). After it was revealed that 13 submarines were initially registered, that list disappeared, and within a day, information on about 180 warships was also removed.

The launching ceremony of the 'Kim Gun-ok Hero Ship,' which North Korea claims to be the first tactical nuclear attack submarine capable of underwater nuclear strikes.

The vessels that disappeared this time all belong to the Korea North Govt Naval Force. VOA explained that even when querying the IMO unique identification numbers assigned to these ships individually, the system only indicates "no such vessel." In contrast, general merchant ships reportedly remain listed in the registration data.

Earlier, on the 27th, 13 North Korean submarines were registered in GISIS. These included 11 Sang-o class submarines, the Sinpo-class "8·24 Hero Ship," and the Sinpo C-class "Kim Gun-ok Hero Ship." However, after this information was reported by the media, it was deleted within a day. The subsequent disappearance of general warships within another day has led to speculation that North Korea felt burdened by the increased external attention to its naval assets.

At present, North Korean authorities are considered the most likely party responsible for the simultaneous deletion of the North Korean vessel data.

An IMO spokesperson stated on the 29th, "GISIS is an online hub for sharing shipping-related data based on information provided by member states," adding, "Member states can request updates to their own data." GISIS is a platform showing the status of ships submitted by each country, and the registration and cancellation of each ship depend on the decisions of the respective member state. North Korea has been an IMO member since 1986.

Meanwhile, North Korea is focusing on strengthening its naval power under the direction of State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un. When inspecting a military factory last September, Chairman Kim ordered the "strengthening of naval forces" as a core part of "completing war preparations."