Comparative military ranks of Korea

Last updated March 10, 2024

The comparative military ranks of Korea are the military insignia used by the two nations on the Korean Peninsula, those being the Republic of Korea Armed Forces (South Korea) and the Korean People's Army of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea). The United States Forces Korea personnel wear the ranks and insignia used by other service personnel of the United States Armed Forces in the territories of the United States.

In the South Korean armed forces, ranks fall into one of four categories: commissioned officer, warrant officer, non-commissioned officer, and junior enlisted ("Byeong"), in decreasing order of authority. Commissioned officer ranks are subdivided into general officers ("Jangseong"; 장성/將星), field-grade officers ("Yeonggwan"; 영관/領官), and company-grade officers ("Wigwan"; 위관/尉官). 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.

While the North Korean ranks are inspired by the Soviet ranks,^[1] the South Korean ranks are inspired by the United States.^[2]

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 likewise have subdued versions of their insignia in each of their branches.

Special ranks

North Korean rank	North Korean insignia^[3]
Grand Marshal of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (Korean : 대원수, romanized: Tae wonsu )^{[lower-alpha 1]}
Marshal of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (Korean : 공화국원수, romanized: Konghwaguk Wonsu )^{[lower-alpha 2]}

Officer ranks

The shoulder boards and sleeve stripes of South Korean ranks apply only to their navies. North Korea's People's Army does not maintain a separate marine corps or naval infantry branch as part of their armed forces, although it does maintain two "amphibious sniper brigades" as part of the North Korean Special Operation Force (NKSOF). North Korean insignia follow the Soviet pattern, while South Korean insignia follow a mix of American and British rank insignia traditions.

No one has held the five-star rank Wonsu in the history of the ROK Armed Forces.

Army ranks

Rank group	General / flag officers						Senior officers				Junior officers					Officer cadet
Korean People's Army Ground Force ^[4] v t e
Korean People's Army Ground Force ^[4] v t e	인민군원수 Inmingun-wonsu	차수 Chasu	대장 Daejang	상장 Sangjang	중장 Chungjang	소장 Sojang	대좌 Daechwa	상좌 Sangjwa	중좌 Chungjwa	소좌 Sojwa	대위 Taewi	상위 Sangwi	중위 Chungwi		소위 Sowi
Republic of Korea Army ^[5] v t e
Republic of Korea Army ^[5] v t e	원수 Wonsu		대장 Daejang	중장 Jungjang	소장 Sojang	준장 Junjang	대령 Daeryeong		중령 Jungnyeong	소령 Soryeong	대위 Daewi	중위 Jungwi		소위 Sowi
Rank group	General / flag officers						Senior officers				Junior officers					Officer cadet

All DPRK Marshalls wear Ground Force uniform as there is no division of Branch after this rank.

Air force ranks

Rank group	General / flag officers					Senior officers				Junior officers					Officer cadet
Korean People's Army Air and Anti-Air Force ^[4] v t e
Korean People's Army Air and Anti-Air Force ^[4] v t e		대장 Daejang	상장 Sangjang	중장 Chungjang	소장 Sojang	대좌 Daechwa	상좌 Sangjwa	중좌 Chungjwa	소좌 Sojwa	대위 Taewi	상위 Sangwi	중위 Chungwi		소위 Sowi
Republic of Korea Air Force ^[6] v t e
Republic of Korea Air Force ^[6] v t e	원수 Wonsu	대장 Daejang	중장 Jungjang	소장 Sojang	준장 Junjang	대령 Daeryeong		중령 Jungnyeong	소령 Soryeong	대위 Daewi	중위 Jungwi		소위 Sowi
Rank group	General / flag officers					Senior officers				Junior officers					Officer cadet

Naval ranks

ROK Navy commissioned officer ranks have two distinct sets of rank insignia: On dress uniform a series of stripes similar to the United States Navy naval ranks are worn; on service uniforms, working uniforms, and special uniform situations (combat utilities and flight suits), the rank insignia are the same as the equivalent rank in the Army or the Air Force.

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers					Officer cadet
Korean People's Navy ^[4] v t e
Korean People's Navy ^[4] v t e
대장 Daejang		상장 Sangjang		중장 Chungjang		소장 Sojang		대좌 Daechwa	상좌 Sangjwa	중좌 Chungjwa		소좌 Sojwa		대위 Taewi		상위 Sangwi		중위 Chungwi		소위 Sowi
Republic of Korea Navy ^[7] v t e
Republic of Korea Navy ^[7] v t e	원수 Wonsu		대장 Daejang		중장 Jungjang		소장 Sojang		준장 Junjang		대령 Daeryeong		중령 Jungnyeong		소령 Soryeong		대위 Daewi		중위 Jungwi		소위 Sowi
Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers					Officer cadet

Marine Corps

Rank group	General / flag officers					Senior officers			Junior officers			Officer cadet
Republic of Korea Marine Corps ^[6] v t e
Republic of Korea Marine Corps ^[6] v t e		대장 Daejang	중장 Jungjang	소장 Sojang	준장 Junjang	대령 Daeryeong	중령 Jungnyeong	소령 Soryeong	대위 Daewi	중위 Jungwi	소위 Sowi
Rank group	General/flag officers					Senior officers			Junior officers			Officer cadet

Warrant officer ranks

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 South Korean Navy, a single broken sleeve stripe. The North Korean military does not maintain any equivalent Warrant Officer positions.

Rank group	Warrant officer
Rank group	Army	Navy	Marine Corps	Air force
Insignia
Korean	준위 Junwi
English translation	Warrant Officer

Enlisted ranks

Both North Korea and South Korea share the same enlisted rank structure among all of their military branches. Enlisted rank insignia differ however: The ROKAF uses a mix of American, British, and French practice while the KPA's insignia follow Soviet practice.

In the South Korean armed forces, personnel with ranks of Hasa through Wonsa are considered non-commissioned officers. There are enlisted ranks called “Lance corporal”, "Corporal", and "Sergeant" in English, but they are not considered non-commissioned officer ranks, though they are treated as one if they hold an NCO position. Ideungbyeong (이등병;2等兵, sometimes translated as private), Ildeungbyeong (일등병; 1等兵, sometimes translated as lance corporal), and Sangdeungbyeong (상등병; 上等兵, equivalent of a corporal) are commonly referred to as Ibyeong, Ilbyeong, and Sangbyeong respectively.