Comparative military ranks of Korea refer to the ranks and insignia maintained by the three primary military powers present on the Korean Peninsula, those being the Republic of Korea Armed Forces (South Korea), the Korean People's Army of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), and the military forces of the United States in Korea.
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 (general) officers, "Yeonggwan"-level (field-grade) officers, and "Wi-gwan"-level (company-grade) officers. 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.
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 and US militaries likewise have subdued versions of their insignia in each of their branches.
(Note on romanization: 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.)
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The shoulder boards and sleeve stripes of the US and ROK ranks applies only to their navies. Neither Marine Corps of the two nations maintain 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.
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장교 (將校) Janggyo (Commissioned officer ranks)
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| NATO Rank Code | North Korean rank | North Korean insignia | South Korean rank | South Korean insignia | US Army/Air Force/Marine Corps equivalent | US Navy equivalent | US insignia | ||||||||||
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장관 (將官) Janggwan (General officer ranks)
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| OF-10 | 대원수 Dae Wonsu (Grand Marshal) |
no equivalent
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no official insignia
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| 원수 Wonsu (Marshal of the DRPK/KPA/KPN/KPAF) | 원수 (元帥) Wonsu (Marshal of the ROK/Fleet Admiral of the ROK)¹ | General of the Army/Air Force | Fleet Admiral | ||||||||||||||
| 차수 Ch'asu (Vice Marshal) |
no equivalent
|
no equivalent
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| OF-9 | 대장 Daejang (General/Fleet Admiral) | 대장 (大將) Daejang (General/Admiral) | General | Admiral | |||||||||||||
| OF-8 | 상장 Sangjang (Colonel General/Admiral) | 중장 (中將) Jungjang (Lieutenant General/Vice Admiral) | Lieutenant General | Vice Admiral | |||||||||||||
| OF-7 | 중장 Chungjang (Lieutenant General/Vice Admiral) | 소장 (小將) Sojang (Major General/Rear Admiral) | Major General | Rear Admiral (upper half) | |||||||||||||
| OF-6 | 소장 Sojang (Major General/Rear Admiral) | 준장 (准將) Junjang (Brigadier General/Commodore Admiral) | Brigadier General | Rear Admiral (lower half) | |||||||||||||
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영관 (領官) Yeonggwan (Field-grade officer ranks)
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| OF-5 | 대좌 Daejwa (Brigadier/Commodore) | 대령 (大領) Daeryeong (Colonel/Captain) | Colonel | Captain | |||||||||||||
| 상좌 Sangjwa (Colonel/Captain) | |||||||||||||||||
| OF-4 | 중좌 Jungjwa (Lieutenant Colonel/Commander) | 중령 (中領) Jungnyeong (Lieutenant Colonel/Commander) | Lieutenant Colonel | Commander | |||||||||||||
| OF-3 | 소좌 Sojwa (Major/Lieutenant Commander) | 소령 (小領) Soryeong (Major/Lieutenant Commander) | Major | Lieutenant Commander | |||||||||||||
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위관 (尉官) Wi-gwan (Company-grade officer ranks)
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| OF-2 | 대위 Daewi (Captain/Captain Lieutenant) | 대위 (大尉) Daewi (Captain/Lieutenant) | Captain | Lieutenant | |||||||||||||
| 상위 Sangwi (Senior Lieutenant/Lieutenant Senior Grade) | |||||||||||||||||
| OF-1 | 중위 Jungwi (Lieutenant/Lieutenant Junior Grade) | 중위 (中尉) Jungwi (First Lieutenant/Lieutenant Junior Grade) | First Lieutenant | Lieutenant (junior grade) | |||||||||||||
| 소위 Sowi (Junior Lieutenant/Ensign) | 소위 (小尉) Sowi (Second Lieutenant/Ensign) | Second Lieutenant | Ensign | ||||||||||||||
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 ROK Navy, a single 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 and the US Air Force do not maintain any equivalent Warrant Officer positions.
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준사관 (准士官) Junsa-gwan (Warrant officer ranks)
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| NATO Rank Code | South Korean rank | South Korean insignia | United States equivalent | US Army insignia | US Navy insignia | US Marine Corps insignia | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO-3 | 준위 (准尉) Junwi | Chief Warrant Officer (Three) | |||||
Both Korean militaries share the same rank structure among all its branches. They also have enlisted ranks called "Corporal" and "Sergeant" in English, but are not considered non-commissioned officer ranks, though they are treated as one if they hold an NCO position.
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사병 (士兵) Sa-byeong (Soldier ranks)
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| NATO Rank Code | North Korean rank | North Korean insignia | South Korean rank | South Korean insignia | US Army equivalent | US Army insignia | US Air Force equivalent | USAF insignia | US Navy equivalent | USN insignia (sleeve) | USN insignia (collar) | US Marine Corps equivalent | USMC insignia | ||
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부사관 (副士官) Busa-gwan (Non-commissioned officer ranks)
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| OR-9 | 특무상사 T'ŭkmu-sangsa (Warrant Officer) | 원사 (元士) Wonsa (Sergeant Major/Master Chief Petty Officer) | Sergeant Major | Chief Master Sergeant | Master Chief Petty Officer | Sergeant Major | |||||||||
| OR-8 | 상사 Sangsa (Sergeant First Class/Senior Chief Petty Officer) | 상사 (上士) Sangsa (Master Sergeant/Senior Chief Petty Officer) | Master Sergeant | Senior Master Sergeant | Senior Chief Petty Officer | Master Sergeant | |||||||||
| OR-7 | 중사 Chungsa (Staff Sergeant/Chief Petty Officer) | 중사 (中士) Jungsa (Sergeant First Class/Chief Petty Officer) | Sergeant First Class | Master Sergeant | Chief Petty Officer | Gunnery Sergeant | |||||||||
| OR-6 | 하사 Hasa (Sergeant/Petty Officer 1st Class) | 하사 (下士) Hasa (Staff Sergeant/Petty Officer 1st Class) | Staff Sergeant | Technical Sergeant | Petty Officer First Class | Staff Sergeant | |||||||||
| OR-5 | Sergeant | Staff Sergeant | Petty Officer Second Class | Sergeant | |||||||||||
| OR-4 | Corporal |
no equivalent
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Petty Officer Third Class | Corporal | |||||||||||
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병 (兵) Byeong (Enlisted ranks)
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| OR-5 | 상급병사 Sanggŭp-pyŏngsa (Lance Sergeant/Petty Officer 2nd Class) | 병장 (兵長) Byeongjang (Sergeant/Petty Officer 2nd Class) |
no equivalent
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no equivalent
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no equivalent
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no equivalent
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| OR-4 | 중급병사 Chungŭp-pyŏngsa (Corporal/Leading Seaman) | 상병 (上兵) Sangbyeong (Corporal/Petty Officer 3rd Class) | Specialist | Senior Airman |
no equivalent
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no equivalent
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| OR-3 | 하급병사 Hagŭp-pyŏngsa (Lance Corporal/Able Seaman) | 일병 (一兵) Ilbyeong (Private First Class/Seaman) | Private First Class | Airman First Class | Seaman | Lance Corporal | |||||||||
| OR-2 | 전사 Chŏnsa (Private/Seaman) | 이병 (二兵) Ibyeong (Private/Seaman Apprentice) | Private E-2 | Airman | Seaman Apprentice | Private First Class | |||||||||
| OR-1 | 장정 (青男) Jangjeong² (Recruit) |
no insignia
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Private E-1 |
no insignia
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Airman Basic |
no insignia
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Seaman Recruit |
no insignia
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Private |
no insignia
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¹: No one has yet held the five-star rank of Won-su in the history of the ROK Armed Forces.
²: The Jangjeong rank is the official title of an entry-level recruit in the South Korean military, which they hold until they are assigned a higher rank following their basic training. More common terms include 무등병 (無等兵) Mudeungbyeong (rank-less soldier) and 훈련병 (培訓兵) Hullyeonbyeong (trainee).
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