Chasu

Chasu

Ch'asu (차수, hanja 次帅) is a superior military rank of North Korea, often translated as Vice-Marshal. The rank is senior to that of Daejang (General) and junior to that of Wonsu (Marshal). The rank is seldom bestowed upon the professional military, and appears to be rather a combined political-military position. The rank does not exist in the Chinese PLA.

The insignia for a Chasu is influenced by the obsolete Marshal of the Soviet Union insignia, superimposing a North Korean national crest upon a Marshal’s insignia star in the shoulder epaulette. Formerly, insignia for such rank holders was the Emblem of North Korea until the present insignia was released in 1985.

The rank is often transliterated as ch'asu, showing the difference with the Korean word for embroidery, usually transliterated as chasu (wikt:자수).