Order of Merit for National Foundation

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Order of Merit for National Foundation
Hangul:	건국훈장
Hanja:	建國勳章
Revised Romanization:	Geon-guk Hunjang
McCune-Reischauer:	Kŏn'guk Hunchang

The Order of Merit for National Foundation (Korean: Geonguk Hunjang) is an Order of South Korea. It is typically reserved for those who contributed to the founding of the modern Republic of Korea. It is awarded in five grades:

Daehan Minguk Jang (the Order of the Republic of Korea)
Daetongnyeong Jang (the Order of the President)
Dongnip Jang (the Order of Independence)
Aeguk Jang (the Order of Patriotism)
Aejok Jang (the Order of National Pride)

The order was established in 1962, under the military rule of the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction. As of 2005, about 8,000 people had received the Order.^[1] Many of its recipients have only been awarded the Order posthumously, often because they died before it was established; these include Kim Koo and An Junggeun.