Francais | English | Espanõl

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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 South Korean military, the armed forces of 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. The following table lists the comparative ranks of Korea to include all titles and insignia.

Contents 1 Army Forces 1.1 General ranks 1.2 Officer ranks 1.3 Enlisted ranks 2 Air Forces 2.1 General ranks 2.2 Officer ranks 2.3 Enlisted ranks 3 Naval Forces 3.1 Admiral ranks 3.2 Officer ranks 3.3 Enlisted ranks 4 Marine Corps 4.1 Enlisted ranks 5 Warrant Officer 6 See also

[edit] Army Forces

[edit] General ranks

North Korean rank	North Korean insignia	South Korean rank	South Korean insignia	U.S. equivalent	U.S. insignia
Dae Wonsu		No Equivalent	N/A	General of the Armies	N/A
Wonsu		Wonsu		General of the Army
Chasu		No Equivalent	N/A	No Equivalent	N/A
Daejang		Taejang		General
Sangjang		Chungjang		Lieutenant General
Jungjang		Sojang		Major General
Sojang		Chunjang		Brigadier General

[edit] Officer ranks

North Korean rank	North Korean insignia	South Korean rank	South Korean insignia	U.S. equivalent	U.S. insignia
Daechwa		No Equivalent	N/A	No Equivalent	N/A
Sangchwa		Taeryong		Colonel
Jungjwa		Chungryong		Lieutenant Colonel
Sojwa		Soryong		Major
Daewi		No Equivalent	N/A	No Equivalent	N/A
Sangwi		Taewi		Captain
Jungwi		Chungwi		First Lieutenant
Sowi		Sowi		Second Lieutenant

[edit] Enlisted ranks

North Korean rank	North Korean insignia	South Korean rank	South Korean insignia	United States equivalent	U.S. insignia
Teukmu Sangsa		Wonsa		Sergeant Major	Image:US-Army-OR9c.gif
Sangsa		Sangsa		Master Sergeant	Image:US-Army-OR8b.gif
Jungsa		Chungsa		Sergeant First Class	Image:US-Army-OR7.gif
Hasa		Hasa		Staff Sergeant	Image:US-Army-OR6.gif
Sangkeub		Byongjang		Sergeant	Image:US-Army-OR5.gif
Jungkeub		Sangbyong		Corporal	Image:US-Army-OR4a.gif
Hakeub		Ilbyong		Private First Class	Image:US-Army-OR3.gif
Jeonsa		Yibyong		Private	Image:US-Army-OR2.gif
No Equivalent	N/A	Mudungbyong	No Insignia	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		Wonsu		General of the Air Force
Daejang		Taejang		General
Sangjang		Chungjang		Lieutenant General
Jungjang		Sojang		Major General
Sojang		Chunjang		Brigadier General

[edit] Officer ranks

North Korean rank	North Korean insignia	South Korean rank	South Korean insignia	U.S. equivalent	U.S. insignia
Daechwa		No Equivalent	N/A	No Equivalent	N/A
Sangchwa		Taeryong		Colonel
Jungjwa		Chungryong		Lieutenant Colonel
Sojwa		Soryong		Major
Daewi		No Equivalent	N/A	No Equivalent	N/A
Sangwi		Taewi		Captain
Jungwi		Chungwi		First Lieutenant
Sowi		Sowi		Second Lieutenant

[edit] Enlisted ranks

North Korean rank	North Korean insignia	South Korean rank	South Korean insignia	United States equivalent	U.S. insignia
Teukmu Sangsa		Wonsa		Chief Master Sergeant
Sangsa		Sangsa		Senior Master Sergeant
Jungsa		Chungsa		Master Sergeant
Hasa		Hasa		Technical Sergeant
Sangkeub		Byongjang		Staff Sergeant
Jungkeub		Sangbyong		Senior Airman
Hakeub		Ilbyong		Airman First Class
Jeonsa		Yibyong		Airman
No Equivalent	N/A	Mudungbyong	No Insignia	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 (shoulder)	USN and ROKN sleeve insignia
Chasu		Wonsu		Fleet Admiral
Daejang		Taejang		Admiral
Sangjang		Chungjang		Vice Admiral
Jungjang		Sojang		Rear Admiral (Upper Half)
Sojang		Chunjang		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)
Daechwa		No Equivalent	N/A	N/A	No Equivalent	N/A	N/A
Sangchwa		Taeryong			Captain
Jungjwa		Chungryong			Commander
Sojwa		Soryong			Lieutenant Commander
Daewi		No Equivalent	N/A	N/A	No Equivalent	N/A	N/A
Sangwi		Taewi			Lieutenant
Jungwi		Chungwi			Lieutenant Junior Grade
Sowi		Sowi			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)
Teukmu Sangsa		Wonsa		Master Chief Petty Officer
Sangsa		Sangsa		Senior Chief Petty Officer
Jungsa		Chungsa		Chief Petty Officer
Hasa		Hasa		Petty Officer First Class
Sangkeub		Byongjang		Petty Officer Second Class
Jungkeub		Sangbyong		Petty Officer Third Class
Hakeub		Ilbyong		Seaman		No Insignia
Jeonsa		Yibyong		Seaman Apprentice		No Insignia
No Equivalent	N/A	Mudungbyong	No Insignia	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 identical 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		Sergeant Major
Sangsa		Master Sergeant
Chungsa		Gunnery Sergeant
Hasa		Staff Sergeant
Byongjang		Sergeant
Sangbyong		Corporal
Ilbyong		Lance Corporal
Yibyong		Private First Class
Mudungbyong	No Insignia	Private	No Insignia

[edit] Warrant Officer

All branches of the South Korean military maintain a single Warrant Officer rank known as Junwi.

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.

[edit] See also

• Comparative military rankszh:朝鲜军官列表