Comparative military ranks of Korea
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Comparative military ranks of Korea refer to the ranks and insignia maintained by the three primary military powers on the Korean Peninsula, those being the Republic of Korea Armed Forces (South Korea), the Korean People's Army of Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), and the military forces of the United States.
Most ranks of South and North Korea are identical, with some exceptions including some supreme North Korean ranks which have no equivalent in South Korea or the United States.
In the South Korean armed forces, ranks fall into one of four categories: commissioned officer, warrant officer, non-commissioned officer, and enlisted, in decreasing order of authority. Commissioned officer ranks are subdivided into "Janggwan"-level officers (general ranks), "Yeonggawan"-level officers (Soryeong through Daeryeong), and "Wigwan"-level officers (Sowi through Daewi). All three branches (the Army, Navy, and Air Force) of the Armed Forces share the same titles of ranks in Hangul.
The following table lists the comparative ranks of Korea to include all titles and insignia.
(Note on romanization: In the article, all South Korean ranks are spelled accordingly with the Revised Romanization of Korean system; all North Korean ranks, McCune-Reischauer system without the breves and the apostrophe.)
Contents |
[edit] Army Forces
[edit] General ranks
| North Korean rank | North Korean insignia | South Korean rank | South Korean insignia | U.S. equivalent | U.S. insignia |
| Taewonsu (대원수) | No Equivalent | N/A | General of the Armies | no official insignia | |
| Wonsu (원수) | Wonsu (원수) | General of the Army |  |
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| Chasu (차수) | No Equivalent | N/A | No Equivalent | N/A | |
| Taejang (대장) | Daejang (대장) | General |  |
||
| Sangjang (상장) | Jungjang (중장) | Lieutenant General |  |
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| Chungjang (중장) | Sojang (소장) | Major General |  |
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| Sojang (소장) | Junjang (준장) | Brigadier General |  |
[edit] Officer ranks
| North Korean rank | North Korean insignia | South Korean rank | South Korean insignia | U.S. equivalent | U.S. insignia |
| Taejwa (대좌) | No Equivalent | N/A | No Equivalent | N/A | |
| Sangjwa (상좌) | Daeryeong (대령) | Colonel |  |
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| Chungjwa (중좌) | Jungnyeong (중령) | Lieutenant Colonel |  |
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| Sojwa (소좌) | Soryeong (소령) | Major |  |
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| Taewi (대위) | No Equivalent | N/A | No Equivalent | N/A | |
| Sangwi (상위) | Daewi (대위) | Captain |  |
||
| Chungwi (중위) | Jungwi (중위) | First Lieutenant |  |
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| Sowi (소위) | Sowi (소위) | Second Lieutenant |  |
[edit] Enlisted ranks
| North Korean rank | North Korean insignia | South Korean rank | South Korean insignia | United States equivalent | U.S. insignia |
| Tungmu-sangsa (특무상사) | Wonsa (원사) | Sergeant Major |  |
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| Sangsa (상사) | Sangsa (상사) | Master Sergeant |  |
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| Chungsa (중사) | Jungsa (중사) | Sergeant First Class |  |
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| Hasa (하사) | Hasa (하사) | Staff Sergeant |  |
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| Sanggup-byongsa (상급병사) | Byeongjang (병장) | Sergeant |  |
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| Chunggup-byongsa (중급병사) | Sangdeungbyeong (상등병) | Corporal |  |
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| Hagup-byongsa (하급병사) | Ildeungbyeong (일등병) | Private First Class |  |
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| Chonsa (전사) | Ideungbyeong (이등병) | Private |  |
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| No Equivalent | N/A | No Equivalent | N/A | Private (Basic) | No Insignia |
[edit] Air Forces
[edit] General ranks
| North Korean rank | North Korean insignia | South Korean rank | South Korean insignia | U.S. equivalent | U.S. insignia |
| Chasu (차수) | Wonsu (원수) | General of the Air Force |  |
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| Taejang (대장) | Daejang (대장) | General |  |
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| Sangjang (상장) | Jungjang (중장) | Lieutenant General |  |
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| Chungjang (중장) | Sojang (소장) | Major General |  |
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| Sojang (소장) | Junjang (준장) | Brigadier General |  |
[edit] Officer ranks
| North Korean rank | North Korean insignia | South Korean rank | South Korean insignia | U.S. equivalent | U.S. insignia |
| Taejwa (대좌) | No Equivalent | N/A | No Equivalent | N/A | |
| Sangjwa (상좌) | Daeryeong (대령) | Colonel | |
||
| Chungjwa (중좌) | Jungnyeong (중령) | Lieutenant Colonel | |
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| Sojwa (소좌) | Soryeong (소령) | Major | |
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| Taewi (대위) | No Equivalent | N/A | No Equivalent | N/A | |
| Sangwi (상위) | Daewi (대위) | Captain | |
||
| Chungwi (중위) | Jungwi (중위) | First Lieutenant | |
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| Sowi (소위) | Sowi (소위) | Second Lieutenant | |
[edit] Enlisted ranks
| North Korean rank | North Korean insignia | South Korean rank | South Korean insignia | United States equivalent | U.S. insignia |
| Tungmu-sangsa (특무상사) | Wonsa (원사) | Chief Master Sergeant |  |
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| Sangsa (상사) | Sangsa (상사) | Senior Master Sergeant |  |
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| Chungsa (중사) | Jungsa (중사) | Master Sergeant |  |
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| Hasa (하사) | Hasa (하사) | Technical Sergeant |  |
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| Sanggup-byongsa (상급병사) | Byeongjang (병장) | Staff Sergeant |  |
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| Chunggup-byongsa (중급병사) | Sangdeungbyeong (상등병) | Senior Airman |  |
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| Hagup-byongsa (하급병사) | Ildeungbyeong (일등병) | Airman First Class |  |
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| Chonsa (전사) | Ideungbyeong (이등병) | Airman |  |
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| No Equivalent | N/A | No Equivalent | N/A | Airman Basic | No Insignia |
[edit] Naval Forces
[edit] Admiral ranks
| North Korean rank | North Korean insignia | South Korean rank | South Korean insignia (shoulder) |
U.S. equivalent | U.S. insignia (collar) |
USN and ROKN sleeve insignia |
| Chasu (차수) | Wonsu (원수) | Fleet Admiral | |
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| Taejang (대장) | Daejang (대장) | Admiral | |
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| Sangjang (상장) | Jungjang (중장) | Vice Admiral | |
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| Chungjang (중장) | Sojang (소장) | Rear Admiral (Upper Half) | |
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| Sojang (소장) | Junjang (준장) | Rear Admiral (Lower Half) | |
United States Navy and Korean Flag officers wear collar insignia identical to the Army and Air Force services in each respective nation.
[edit] Officer ranks
| North Korean rank | North Korean insignia | South Korean rank | ROK Navy insignia (shoulder) |
ROK Navy insignia (collar) |
U.S. equivalent | U.S. insignia (shoulder) |
U.S. insignia (collar) |
| Taejwa (대좌) | No Equivalent | N/A | N/A | No Equivalent | N/A | N/A | |
| Sangjwa (상좌) | Daeryeong (대령) | Captain |  |
|
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| Chungjwa (중좌) | Jungnyeong (중령) | Commander |  |
|
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| Sojwa (소좌) | Soryeong (소령) | Lieutenant Commander |  |
|
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| Taewi (대위) | No Equivalent | N/A | N/A | No Equivalent | N/A | N/A | |
| Sangwi (상위) | Daewi (대위) | Lieutenant |  |
 |
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| Chungwi (중위) | Jungwi (중위) | Lieutenant Junior Grade |  |
|
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| Sowi (소위) | Sowi (소위) | Ensign |  |
|
[edit] Enlisted ranks
| North Korean rank | North Korean insignia | South Korean rank | ROK Navy insignia | United States equivalent | USN insignia (sleeve) |
USN insignia (collar) |
| Tungmu-sangsa (특무상사) | Wonsa (원사) | Master Chief Petty Officer |  |
 |
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| Sangsa (상사) | Sangsa (상사) | Senior Chief Petty Officer |  |
 |
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| Chungsa (중사) | Jungsa (중사) | Chief Petty Officer |  |
 |
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| Hasa (하사) | Hasa (하사) | Petty Officer First Class |  |
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| Sanggup-byongsa (상급병사) | Byeongjang (병장) | Petty Officer Second Class |  |
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| Chunggup-byongsa (중급병사) | Sangdeungbyeong (상등병) | Petty Officer Third Class |  |
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| Hagup-byongsa (하급병사) | Ildeungbyeong (일등병) | Seaman |  |
No Insignia | ||
| Chonsa (전사) | Ideungbyeong (이등병) | Seaman Apprentice |  |
No Insignia | ||
| No Equivalent | N/A | No Equivalent | N/A | Seaman Recruit | No Insignia | No Insignia |
United States Navy Chief Petty Officers and Petty Officer wear a naval rating badge, centered beneath the Petty Officer crow.
Enlisted members in the seaman grades may hold one of several junior designators to include Seaman, Fireman, Airman, Hospitalman, Dentalman, and Constructionman.
[edit] Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps officers, and their South Korean counterparts, hold rank titles and wear insignia similar to the Army service in each respective nation. Neither Marine Corps of the two nations maintains a five star General rank. The North Korean military does not maintain a separate Marine Corps as part of their armed forces although it does maintain two Amphibious Sniper Brigades as part of their Special Forces.
The various enlisted Marine Corps grades of the United States and South Korea are as follows.
[edit] Enlisted ranks
| South Korean rank | South Korean insignia | United States equivalent | U.S. insignia |
| Wonsa (원사) | Sergeant Major |  |
|
| Sangsa (상사) | Master Sergeant |  |
|
| Jungsa (중사) | Gunnery Sergeant |  |
|
| Hasa (하사) | Staff Sergeant |  |
|
| Byeongjang (병장) | Sergeant |  |
|
| Sangdeungbyeong (상등병) | Corporal |  |
|
| Ildeungbyeong (일등병) | Lance Corporal |  |
|
| Ideungbyeong (이등병) | Private First Class |  |
|
| No Equivalent | N/A | Private | No Insignia |
[edit] Warrant Officer
All branches of the South Korean armed forces maintain a single Warrant Officer rank known as Junwi (준위). Warrant Officers fall in between non-commissioned and commissioned officers.
The rank is denoted by a gold collar pip and, in the case of the ROK Navy, a broken sleeve stripe. A Junwi may be considered to be a close equivalent to a Chief Warrant Officer in the United States armed forces.
The North Korean military does not maintain any sort of Warrant Officer positions.
