Comparative military ranks of Korea

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 enlisted, in decreasing order of authority. Commissioned officer ranks are subdivided into "Janggwan"-level (general) officers, "Yeonggwan"-level (field-grade) officers, and "Wi-gwan"-level (company-grade) officers. 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.

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.

(Note on romanization: In the article, all South Korean ranks are spelled accordingly with the Revised Romanization of Korean system; all North Korean ranks use the McCune-Reischauer system.)

Special ranks

These ranks are honorary ranks and are not considered part of the main rank scheme.

North Korean rank	North Korean insignia	Equivalent NATO Code
대원수 Dae wonsu (Grand Marshal)^{[lower-alpha 1]}		OF-12
공화국원수 Konghwaguk Wonsu (Marshal of the Republic)^{[lower-alpha 2]}		OF-11

Officer ranks

The shoulder boards and sleeve stripes of South Korean ranks apply only to their navies. The ROK Marine Corps does not maintains a five star "General" rank. 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 United States and British rank insignia traditions.

Army ranks

Equivalent NATO code	OF-10		OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5		OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1				OF(D) and student officer
North Korea (Edit)																Unknown
North Korea (Edit)	Marshal of the KPA (인민군원수)	Vice Marshal (차수)	General of the Army (대장)	Colonel General (상장)	Lieutenant General (중장)	Major General (소장)	Senior Colonel (Brigadier) (대좌)	Colonel (상좌)	Lieutenant Colonel (중좌)	Major (소좌)	Captain (대위)	Senior Lieutenant (상위)	Lieutenant (중위)		Junior Lieutenant (소위)	Unknown
South Korea (Edit)																Unknown
South Korea (Edit)	Marshal (원수)		General (대장)	Lieutenant general (중장)	Major general (소장)	Brigadier general (준장)	Colonel (대령)		Lieutenant colonel (중령)	Major (소령)	Captain (대위)	Lieutenant (중위)		Junior lieutenant (소위)		Unknown
Equivalent NATO code	OF-10		OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5		OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1				OF(D) and student officer

Air force ranks

Equivalent NATO code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5		OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1				OF(D) and student officer
North Korea (Edit)	No equivalent														Unknown
North Korea (Edit)	No equivalent	General of the Air Force (대장)	Colonel General (상장)	Lieutenant General (중장)	Major General (소장)	Senior Colonel (대좌)	Colonel (상좌)	Lieutenant Colonel (중좌)	Major (소좌)	Captain (대위)	First Lieutenant (상위)	Second Lieutenant (중위)		Third Lieutenant (소위)	Unknown
South Korea (Edit)															Unknown
South Korea (Edit)	Marshal of the ROKAF (Korean: 원수)	General (Korean: 대장)	Lieutenant general (Korean: 중장)	Major general (Korean: 소장)	Brigadier general (Korean: 준장)	Colonel (Korean: 대령)		Lieutenant colonel (Korean: 중령)	Major (Korean: 소령)	Captain (Korean: 대위)	Lieutenant (Korean: 중위)		Junior lieutenant (Korean: 소위)		Unknown
Equivalent NATO code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5		OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1				OF(D) and student officer

Naval ranks

Equivalent NATO code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5		OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1				OF(D) and student officer
North Korea (Edit)	No equivalent														No equivalent
North Korea (Edit)	No equivalent	Taejang (대장) Fleet Admiral	Sangjang (상장) Admiral	Chungjang (중장) Vice Admiral	Sojang (소장) Rear Admiral	Daechwa (대좌) Senior Captain	Sangjwa (상좌) Captain	Chungjwa (중좌) Commander	Sojwa (소좌) Lieutenant Commander	Taewi (대위) Captain lieutenant	Sangwi (상위) Senior lieutenant	Chungwi (중위) Lieutenant (junior grade)		Sowi (소위) Ensign	No equivalent
South Korea (Edit)															No equivalent
South Korea (Edit)	Wonsu (원수; 元帥) Fleet admiral	Daejang (대장; 大將)Admiral	Jungjang (중장; 中將) Vice admiral	Sojang (소장; 少將) Rear admiral	Junjang (준장; 準將) Flotilla admiral (Commodore)	Daeryeong (대령; 大領) Captain		Jungnyeong (중령; 中領) Commander	Soryeong (소령; 少領) Lieutenant commander	Daewi (대위; 大尉) Lieutenant	Jungwi (중위; 中尉) Lieutenant (junior grade)		Sowi (소위; 少尉) Ensign		No equivalent
Equivalent NATO code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5		OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1				OF(D) and student officer

Marine Corps

Equivalent NATO code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1		OF(D) and student officer
South Korea (Marine Corps)	No equivalent											Unknown
South Korea (Marine Corps)	No equivalent	General (대장)	Lieutenant general (중장)	Major general (소장)	Brigadier general (준장)	Colonel (대령)	Lieutenant colonel (중령)	Major (소령)	Captain (대위)	Lieutenant (중위)	Junior lieutenant (소위)	Unknown
Equivalent NATO code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1		OF(D) and student officer

Warrant officer ranks

Grade	Rank	Abbreviation	Army	Air Force	Navy	Marine Corps
WO	Warrant Officer (준위)	WO

Enlisted ranks

Both North Korea and South Korea share the same enlisted rank structure among all of their military branches. They also have enlisted ranks called "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.

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.

Enlisted rank insignia differ however: The ROKAF uses a mix of American, British, and French practice while the KPA's insignia follow Soviet practice.