Sang-O Class North Korean Diesel-Electric Submarine

The Sang-o-class coastal submarine is smaller than Romeo- and Whiskey-class subs, but larger than a midget submarine. It is apparently intended for use in coastal defense missions, minelaying and special forces insertion. The name Sang-o is a Korean word meaning shark. It was given to the submarine by Western intelligence agencies. The actual North Korea class name is unknown. Examinations of a special forces transport version reveal a crude design with poor manufacturing quality. The captured variant did not have any torpedo tubes, but instead had 16 mine or external cargo-carrying fixtures, eight per side. Another variant reportedly does carry torpedo tubes. Reportedly built at Singpo beginning in 1991 at a rate of four to six per year. Only three were built in 1997 when construction halted. Two submarines, both reportedly in extremely poor condition, were sold to Vietnam in 1996. The Vietnamese ships were last reported to be undergoing reconditioning at Cam Ranh Bay naval base.