Order of Military Merit (South Korea)

The Order of Military Merit (Hangul: 무공훈장) is the primary military decoration awarded by the South Korean government. It is awarded to a person who rendered "outstanding military services by participating in an action in time of war or in quasi-state of war or by performing his/her duty equivalent to combat, such as responding to the attack of an enemy in a contact area."[1]

Order of Military Merit
Awarded by  South Korea
TypeOrder of merit
Awarded forOutstanding military services by participating in an action in time of war or in quasi-state of war or by performing his/her duty equivalent to combat, such as responding to the attack of an enemy in a contact area.
StatusActive
GradesTaegeuk
Eulji
Chungmu
Hwarang
Inheon
Precedence
Next (higher)Grand Order of Mugunghwa
Related
Korean name
Hangul
무공훈장
Hanja
武功勳章
Revised RomanizationMugong Hunjang
McCune–ReischauerMugong Hunjang

Grades

The Order of Military Merit is awarded in five classes and each of these has three grades. In descending order of rank, the classes are: Taeguk (태극), Eulji (을지), Chungmu (충무), Hwarang (화랑) en Inheon (인헌). Each class has a first, second or third grade, denoted respectively by a gold star (금색 별), silver star (실버 스타), or an unadorned ribbon.[2][3]

Class Name Namesake Ribbon
1st Taegeuk (태극) taegeuk
2nd Eulji (을지) also sometimes spelt Ulchi Eulji Mundeok
3rd Chungmu (충무) Yi Sun-sin
4th Hwarang (화랑) Hwarang
5th Inheon (인헌) Gang Gam-chan

Notable recipients

Taegeuk
Document of award of the Taegeuk Cordon to the Unknown Dead of Greece for the Greek participation in the Korean War

Eulji
Col. Edwin A. Doss' Eulji Medal with Silver Star (1952–63 design)
  • Pham Van Dong – General, Armed Forces of the Republic of Vietnam
  • Chesty Puller – Lieutenant General, United States Marine Corps
  • William P. Yarborough – Lieutenant General, United States Army

Chungmu

Hwarang

Inheon

See also

References
  1. "Awards and Decorations Act". Act No. 11690 of March 23, 2013.(in English and Korean) Korea Legislation Research Institute. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
  2. Orders of Military Merit of the Republic of Korea 1948-1961
  3. "훈장과 포장" [Orders and Medals]. Decorations of the Republic of Korea (in Korean). Ministry of Interior and Safety. 2015. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
  4. "Republic of South Korea Awards Four U.S. Veterans Its Nation's Highest Military Award: The Order of Military Merit, Taeguk - Post Eagle Newspaper".
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