Wonsu
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[edit] South Korea
A Wonsu is the highest military rank of the Republic of Korea (ROK) armed forces and is the combined equivalent of a Field Marshal, Fleet Admiral and Marshal of the Air Force in other nations. The rank is senior to that of Daejang. Wonsu only exists on paper, and has never been held by an officer of the South Korean Armed Forces. According to the Armed Forces Personnel Act of National Defense Law of the Republic of Korea, the Wonsu is appointed from the Daejang who has distinguished achievements. The South Korean rank insignia for Wonsu is heavily influenced by United States military insignia, in that a five star pentagon design is used very similar to the U.S. rank of General of the Army.
[edit] North Korea
The rank of Wonsu also found in the military of North Korea where it is held only by Kim Jong-il. A North Korean Wonsu is rated above the rank known as Chasu (Vice Marshal) with the North Korean Wonsu considered the equivalent of a six star general.
An even higher rank, that of Dae Wonsu may be held by the commander-in-chief of the entire North Korean military. Kim Il-Sung once held this supreme rank as president of North Korea.
[edit] Meaning
Coincidentally, "wonsu" is also a word meaning "mortal enemy"(怨讐) in traditional Korean language. The two words have different etymologies and completely different hanja, but are homophonous and so are written identically in hangul. In North Korea, the government has addressed the issue by changing the word for enemy to "wonssu" (원쑤).
