Comparative military ranks of Korea

The comparative military ranks of Korea are the military insignia used by the two nations on the Korean Peninsula, those being the Republic of Korea Armed Forces (South Korea) and the Korean People's Army of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea). The United States Forces Korea personnel wear the ranks and insignia used by other service personnel of the United States Armed Forces in the territories of the United States.

In the South Korean armed forces, ranks fall into one of four categories: commissioned officer, warrant officer, non-commissioned officer, and junior enlisted ("Byeong"), in decreasing order of authority. Commissioned officer ranks are subdivided into general officers ("Jangseong"; 장성/將星), field-grade officers ("Yeonggwan"; 영관/領官), and company-grade officers ("Wigwan"; 위관/尉官). The ranks of all three branches (the Army, Navy, and Air Force) of the South Korean Armed Forces share the same titles in Hangul. Most ranks of South and North Korea are identical, with some exceptions such as the supreme North Korean ranks.

While the North Korean ranks are inspired by the Soviet ranks,^[1] the South Korean ranks are inspired by the United States.^[2]

The following table lists the comparative ranks of the militaries in Korea, including their rank titles and insignia. In this table, the North Korean military rank insignia shown is that of their Army field uniform shoulder boards; their parade uniforms and uniforms of other branches use alternative color schemes with the same basic design. The South Korean likewise have subdued versions of their insignia in each of their branches.

Special ranks

North Korean rank	North Korean insignia[3]
Grand Marshal of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (Korean: 대원수, romanized: Tae wonsu)[a]
Marshal of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (Korean: 공화국원수, romanized: Konghwaguk Wonsu)[b]

Officer ranks

The shoulder boards and sleeve stripes of South Korean ranks apply only to their navies. North Korea's People's Army does not maintain a separate marine corps or naval infantry branch as part of their armed forces, although it does maintain two "amphibious sniper brigades" as part of the North Korean Special Operation Force (NKSOF). North Korean insignia follow the Soviet pattern, while South Korean insignia follow a mix of American and British rank insignia traditions.

No one has held the five-star rank Wonsu in the history of the ROK Armed Forces.

Army ranks

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Korean People's Army Ground Force[4] v t e
	인민군원수 Inmingun-wonsu	차수 Chasu	대장 Daejang		상장 Sangjang		중장 Chungjang		소장 Sojang		대좌 Daechwa	상좌 Sangjwa	중좌 Chungjwa		소좌 Sojwa		대위 Taewi		상위 Sangwi		중위 Chungwi		소위 Sowi
Republic of Korea Army[5] v t e
	원수 Wonsu		대장 Daejang		중장 Jungjang		소장 Sojang		준장 Junjang		대령 Daeryeong		중령 Jungnyeong		소령 Soryeong		대위 Daewi		중위 Jungwi			소위 Sowi
Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers

All DPRK Marshalls wear Ground Force uniform as there is no division of Branch after this rank.

Air force ranks

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Korean People's Army Air Force[4] v t e
	인민군원수 Inmingun-wonsu	차수 Chasu	대장 Daejang		상장 Sangjang		중장 Chungjang		소장 Sojang		대좌 Daechwa	상좌 Sangjwa	중좌 Chungjwa		소좌 Sojwa		대위 Taewi		상위 Sangwi		중위 Chungwi		소위 Sowi
Republic of Korea Air Force[6] v t e
	원수 Wonsu		대장 Daejang		중장 Jungjang		소장 Sojang		준장 Junjang		대령 Daeryeong		중령 Jungnyeong		소령 Soryeong		대위 Daewi		중위 Jungwi			소위 Sowi
Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers

Naval ranks

ROK Navy commissioned officer ranks have two distinct sets of rank insignia: On dress uniform a series of stripes similar to the United States Navy naval ranks are worn; on service uniforms, working uniforms, and special uniform situations (combat utilities and flight suits), the rank insignia are the same as the equivalent rank in the Army or the Air Force.

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Korean People's Navy[4] v t e
인민군원수 Inmingun-wonsu	차수 Chasu	대장 Daejang		상장 Sangjang		중장 Chungjang		소장 Sojang		대좌 Daechwa	상좌 Sangjwa	중좌 Chungjwa		소좌 Sojwa		대위 Taewi		상위 Sangwi		중위 Chungwi		소위 Sowi
Republic of Korea Navy[7] v t e
	원수 Wonsu		대장 Daejang		중장 Jungjang		소장 Sojang		준장 Junjang		대령 Daeryeong		중령 Jungnyeong		소령 Soryeong		대위 Daewi		중위 Jungwi			소위 Sowi
Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers

Marine Corps

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Republic of Korea Marine Corps[6] v t e
			대장 Daejang		중장 Jungjang		소장 Sojang		준장 Junjang		대령 Daeryeong		중령 Jungnyeong		소령 Soryeong		대위 Daewi		중위 Jungwi			소위 Sowi
Rank group	General/flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers

Warrant officer ranks

All branches of the South Korean armed forces maintain a single Warrant Officer rank known as Junwi. Warrant Officers fall in between non-commissioned and commissioned officers. The rank is denoted by a gold-colored Sowi insignia and, in the case of the South Korean Navy, a single broken sleeve stripe. The North Korean military does not maintain any equivalent Warrant Officer positions.

Rank group	Warrant officer
	Army	Navy	Marine Corps	Air force
Insignia
Korean	준위 Junwi
English translation	Warrant Officer

Enlisted ranks

Both North Korea and South Korea share the same enlisted rank structure among all of their military branches. Enlisted rank insignia differ however: The ROKAF uses a mix of American, British, and French practice while the KPA's insignia follow Soviet practice.

In the South Korean armed forces, personnel with ranks of Hasa through Wonsa are considered non-commissioned officers. There are enlisted ranks called "Lance corporal", and "Corporal" in English, but they are not considered non-commissioned officer ranks, though they are treated as one if they hold an NCO position. Ideungbyeong (이등병; 2等兵, sometimes translated as private), Ildeungbyeong (일등병; 1等兵, sometimes translated as private first class), and Sangdeungbyeong (상등병; 上等兵, equivalent of a lance corporal) are commonly referred to as Ibyeong, Ilbyeong, and Sangbyeong respectively.

Army ranks

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
Korean People's Army Ground Force[4] v t e
	특무상사 T'ŭkmu-sangsa						상사 Sangsa		중사 Chungsa		하사 Hasa						상급병사 Sanggŭp-pyŏngsa						중급병사 Chungŭp-pyŏngsa				하급병사 Hagŭp-pyŏngsa		전사 Chŏnsa
Republic of Korea Army[5] v t e
	원사 Wonsa						상사 Sangsa		중사 Jungsa		하사 Hasa						병장 Byeongjang						상등병 Sangdeungbyeong				일등병 Ildeungbyeong		이등병 Ideungbyeong
Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted

Air force ranks

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
Korean People's Army Air Force[4] v t e
	특무상사 T'ŭkmu-sangsa						상사 Sangsa		중사 Chungsa		하사 Hasa						상급병사 Sanggŭp-pyŏngsa						중급병사 Chungŭp-pyŏngsa				하급병사 Hagŭp-pyŏngsa		전사 Chŏnsa
Republic of Korea Air Force[6] v t e
	원사 Wonsa						상사 Sangsa		중사 Jungsa		하사 Hasa						병장 Byeongjang						상등병 Sangdeungbyeong				일등병 Ildeungbyeong		이등병 Ideungbyeong
Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted

Navy ranks

In reality, personnel in Sangsa and Wonsa rates are considered as chief petty officers (i.e. Chief Petty Officer and Master Chief Petty Officer, respectively) in the South Korean navy. Byeongjang and below are commonly referred to as "Subyeong" (seaman).

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
Korean People's Navy[4] v t e
	특무상사 T'ŭkmu-sangsa						상사 Sangsa		중사 Chungsa		하사 Hasa						상급병사 Sanggŭp-pyŏngsa						중급병사 Chungŭp-pyŏngsa				하급병사 Hagŭp-pyŏngsa		전사 Chŏnsa
Republic of Korea Navy[7] v t e
	원사 Wonsa						상사 Sangsa		중사 Jungsa		하사 Hasa						병장 Byeongjang						상등병 Sangdeungbyeong				일등병 Ildeungbyeong		이등병 Ideungbyeong
Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted

Marine Corps

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
Republic of Korea Marine Corps[6] v t e
	원사 Wonsa						상사 Sangsa		중사 Jungsa		하사 Hasa						병장 Byeongjang						상등병 Sangdeungbyeong				일등병 Ildeungbyeong		이등병 Ideungbyeong
Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted

See also

• Comparative military ranks
• Comparative army officer ranks of Asia

Notes

In the article, all South Korean ranks are spelled accordingly with the Revised Romanization of Korean system; all North Korean ranks use the McCune-Reischauer system.

1. Highest possible political-military rank of North Korea and is intended to be an honorific title for the nation’s Great Leaders.
2. Highest political-military rank reserved only for Supreme Leader of North Korea.

References

1. Keegan, John (1979). "North Korea". In Keegan, John (ed.). World armies. Sandhurst: Royal Military Academy. p. 409. LCCN 79-9217. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
2. Keegan, John (1979). "South Korea". In Keegan, John (ed.). World armies. Sandhurst: Royal Military Academy. p. 415. LCCN 79-9217. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
3. Tertitskiy, Fyodor (14 March 2017). "North Korea's baffling personalized rank insignia, explained". NK News. Korea Risk Group. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
4. Minnich, James M. (2008). "National Security". In Worden, Robert L. (ed.). North Korea: a country study. Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 266, 268. LCCN 2008028547. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
5. "Army Insignia". army.mil.kr. Republic of Korea Army. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
6. "gyegeubjang-ui jesig(je7joje2hang gwanlyeon)" 계급장의 제식(제7조제2항 관련) [Rank insignia (related to Article 7 (2))]. law.go.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 30 December 2021.
7. "해군계급장/해군흉.휘장". navy.mil.kr (in Korean). Republic of Korea Navy. Retrieved 2 June 2021.

• "군인사법, 시행 2021. 4. 13., 법률 제18000호, 2021. 4. 13., 일부개정" [Military Justice Act, Enforcement April 13, 2021, Act No. 18000, April 13, 2021, partially amended]. law.go.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 19 May 2021.