Military ranks of North Korea

The Military ranks of North Korea are the military insignia used by the Korean People's Army. Due to the close military cooperation, North Korean ranks are inspired by the Soviet ranks system.^[1]

Special ranks

North Korean rank	North Korean insignia^[2]
Grand Marshal of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (Korean: 대원수, romanized: Tae wonsu)^[a]
Marshal of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (Korean: 공화국원수, romanized: Konghwaguk Wonsu)^[b]

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group	General / flag officers						Senior officers				Junior officers
Korean People's Army Ground Force^[3] v t e
Korean People's Army Ground Force^[3] 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
Korean People's Navy^[3] v t e
Korean People's Navy^[3] 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
Korean People's Army Air Force^[3] v t e
Korean People's Army Air Force^[3] 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
Rank group	General / flag officers						Senior officers				Junior officers

Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank group	Senior NCOs					Junior NCOs		Enlisted
Korean People's Army Ground Force^[3] v t e
Korean People's Army Ground Force^[3] v t e	특무상사 T'ŭkmu-sangsa	상사 Sangsa	중사 Chungsa	하사 Hasa	상급병사 Sanggŭp-pyŏngsa	중급병사 Chungŭp-pyŏngsa	하급병사 Hagŭp-pyŏngsa	전사 Chŏnsa
Korean People's Navy^[3] v t e
Korean People's Navy^[3] v t e	특무상사 T'ŭkmu-sangsa	상사 Sangsa	중사 Chungsa	하사 Hasa	상급병사 Sanggŭp-pyŏngsa	중급병사 Chungŭp-pyŏngsa	하급병사 Hagŭp-pyŏngsa	전사 Chŏnsa
Korean People's Army Air Force^[3] v t e
Korean People's Army Air Force^[3] v t e	특무상사 T'ŭkmu-sangsa	상사 Sangsa	중사 Chungsa	하사 Hasa	상급병사 Sanggŭp-pyŏngsa	중급병사 Chungŭp-pyŏngsa	하급병사 Hagŭp-pyŏngsa	전사 Chŏnsa
Rank group	Senior NCOs					Junior NCOs		Enlisted

Notes

^ Highest possible political-military rank of North Korea and is intended to be an honorific title for the nation’s Great Leaders.
^ Highest political-military rank reserved only for Supreme Leader of North Korea.

References

^ Keegan, John (1979). "North Korea". In Keegan, John (ed.). World armies. Sandhurst: Royal Military Academy. p. 409. LCCN 79-9217. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
^ Tertitskiy, Fyodor (14 March 2017). "North Korea's baffling personalized rank insignia, explained". NK News. Korea Risk Group. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Minnich, James M. (2008). "National Security". In Worden, Robert L. (ed.). North Korea: a country study. Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 266, 268. LCCN 2008028547. Retrieved 20 October 2021.

External links

"Korea (North – Democratic People's Republic)". uniforminsignia.org. The International Encyclopedia of Uniform Insignia. Retrieved 2 July 2022.^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[3] Highest possible political-military rank of North Korea and is intended to be an honorific title for the nation’s Great Leaders.

[4] Highest political-military rank reserved only for Supreme Leader of North Korea.

[1] Keegan, John (1979). "North Korea". In Keegan, John (ed.). World armies. Sandhurst: Royal Military Academy. p. 409. LCCN 79-9217. Retrieved 31 January 2022.

[2] Tertitskiy, Fyodor (14 March 2017). "North Korea's baffling personalized rank insignia, explained". NK News. Korea Risk Group. Retrieved 25 October 2021.

[North_Korea-5] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Minnich, James M. (2008). "National Security". In Worden, Robert L. (ed.). North Korea: a country study. Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 266, 268. LCCN 2008028547. Retrieved 20 October 2021.

[1]

[2]

[a]

[b]

[3]

v t e Korean People's Army
Active forces	Ground Force Navy Air Force Strategic Force Special Operation Force Missile General Bureau
Paramilitary and reserve forces	Worker-Peasant Red Guards Red Youth Guards Reserve Military Training Units Social Security Forces
Senior leadership	Supreme Commander Central Military Commission State Affairs Commission (formerly National Defence Commission) Ministry of Defence General Political Bureau General Staff Department Supreme Guard Command Military Security Command Reconnaissance General Bureau
History	Military history of Korea List of militant Korean independence activist organizations Korean People's Revolutionary Army Korean Volunteer Army Naval history of Korea
WMDs Biological Chemical Nuclear