Image source: topwar.ru
During the commissioning ceremony of the newest Kang Kon destroyer, the oldest ship of the Korean People's Navy, the 90–year-old T-8 "Cheka" minesweeper (known in the West as Chekan) of Project 53, was spotted in the port of Wonsan.
The demonstration of the 1930s ship next to a modern 5,000-ton rocket ship clearly showed the enormous evolution that the country's naval forces have made.
The 500-ton "Cheka" was built at the Naval Shipbuilding Plant in Sevastopol (plant No. 201). It was laid down in December 1936, launched in March 1938, and joined the USSR Black Sea Fleet in November 1938.
Image source: topwar.ru
During the Great Patriotic War, the ship carried out patrol and convoy service in the Pacific Ocean, and in August 1945, she took part in the Soviet-Japanese War (in particular, during amphibious landings in Korean ports). In December 1953, immediately after the end of the Korean War, the USSR handed it over to the DPRK. Since then, Pyongyang has carefully preserved this pre-war Soviet legacy, turning it into a living symbol of revolution and generational continuity.
Image source: topwar.ru
The armament density was significant for a hull with a displacement of less than 550 tons. The minesweeper transferred to the DPRK was armed with one 100-mm B-24-BM cannon, three 37-mm 70-K cannons, four 12.7-mm DShK machine guns, and could carry 20 depth charges and 31 mines. The ship could also be used as a transport vehicle.
