Officer Ranks
The shoulder boards and sleeve stripes of American and South Korean ranks apply only to their navies. Neither the U.S. Marine Corps or ROK Marine Corps maintains a five star "General" rank. North Korea's Korean 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).
| 장교 (將校) Janggyo (Commissioned officer ranks) | |||||||||||||||||
| NATO rank code | North Korean rank | North Korean insignia | South Korean rank | South Korean insignia | U.S. Army/U.S. Air Force/U.S. Marine Corps equivalent | U.S. Navy equivalent | American insignia | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Special General officer ranks | |||||||||||||||||
| Special Rank | 대원수 Dae wonsu (Grand Marshal) | no equivalent | General of the Armies | no equivalent | no official insignia | ||||||||||||
| 원수 Wonsu (Marshal of the DPRK/KPA) | Admiral of the Navy | ||||||||||||||||
| 차수 Ch'asu (Vice Marshal) | |||||||||||||||||
| 장관 (將官) Janggwan (General officer/Flag officer ranks) | |||||||||||||||||
| OF-10 | 대장 Daejang (General of the Army/Air Force, Fleet Admiral) | 원수 (元帥) Wonsu (Marshal of the ROK/Fleet Admiral of the ROK)¹ | General of the Army/Air Force | Fleet Admiral | |||||||||||||
| OF-9 | 상장 Sangjang (Colonel General/Admiral) | 대장 (大將) Daejang (General/Admiral) | General | Admiral | |||||||||||||
| OF-8 | 중장 Chungjang (Lieutenant General/Vice Admiral) | 중장 (中將) Jungjang (Lieutenant General/Vice Admiral) | Lieutenant General | Vice Admiral | |||||||||||||
| OF-7 | 소장 Sojang (Major General/Rear Admiral) | 소장 (小將) Sojang (Major General/Rear Admiral) | Major General | Rear Admiral (upper half) | |||||||||||||
| OF-6 | no equivalent | 준장 (准將) Junjang (Brigadier General/Commodore Admiral) | Brigadier General | Rear Admiral (lower half) | |||||||||||||
| 영관 (領官) Yeonggwan (Field-grade officer ranks) | |||||||||||||||||
| OF-6 | 대좌 Daejwa (Brigadier/Commodore) | no equivalent | no equivalent | ||||||||||||||
| OF-5 | 상좌 Sangjwa (Colonel/Captain) | 대령 (大領) Daeryeong (Colonel/Captain) | 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 | |||||||||||||
| 위관 (尉官) Wi-gwan (Company-grade officer ranks) | |||||||||||||||||
| OF-2 | 대위 Daewi (Captain/Captain Lieutenant) | 대위 (大尉) Daewi (Captain/Lieutenant) | Captain | Lieutenant | |||||||||||||
| 상위 Sangwi (First Lieutenant/Lieutenant Senior Grade) | |||||||||||||||||
| OF-1 | 중위 Jungwi (Second Lieutenant/Lieutenant Junior Grade) | 중위 (中尉) Jungwi (First Lieutenant/Lieutenant Junior Grade) | First Lieutenant | Lieutenant (junior grade) | |||||||||||||
| 소위 Sowi (Third Lieutenant/Ensign) | 소위 (小尉) Sowi (Second Lieutenant/Ensign) | Second Lieutenant | Ensign | ||||||||||||||
Read more about this topic: Comparative Military Ranks Of Korea
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