Republic of Korea (South Korea)

[Hugh]

These are my Koreans. Most of the new ones were bought direct from the factory. It was up on the 5th floor or so of a building in downtown Seoul. Also got a nice chart of the current Orders.

Hugh

Edited August 21, 2008 by Ed_Haynes

[Ed_Haynes]

Thanks. (Notice a couple of Manchuguo medals slipped in too.)

[Ulsterman]

very nice-how big are those boxes?

[Hugh]

very nice-how big are those boxes?

Here's a picture of them with the lids on. Campaign medal boxes are 130 mm x 63 mm x 15 mm (5-1/4 x 2-1/2 x 1/2" for the Brits / Americans). Very lightweight plastic for the campaign medals - cheapo. However, the cases for the decorations are very nicely finished velveteen.

[Megan]

Order of Diplomatic Service Merit

Instituted: 25 July 1963.

Awarded: For meritorious service to the extension of national prestige overseas and to the promotion of friendship with other nations, in 6 grades.

Here is the Badge of Grand Gwanghwa Medal (1st Class):

Edited August 3, 2008 by Ed_Haynes

[Megan]

And here is the Star of the Grand Gwanghwa Medal (1st Class):

[Hugh]

Ah, Megan, you know how to rattle a cage!

KOREA, REPUBLIC OF ?Order of Military Merit, Wharang (Korean War era), EF

Liverpool Medal, 12/04

[Hugh]

KOREA, REPUBLIC OF ? Order of National Security Merit, Commander (Bo-Kook Hun-Jang, Cheonsu-Jang), Neck badge, ribbon and lapel badge

[Megan]

Rattling cages? More information has come to light - the pictures above are the 2nd Type of the Order of Diplomatic Service Merit, which was revised in 1967. (And again in 1973, but they just added an extra grade rather than change the design yet again!).

Here is the Chang-Eui Medal (or 5th Class) post-1967:

[Megan]

Now for the first type of the order, awarded 1963-67.

Here is the 1st Class star:

[Megan]

This is the 5th Class badge of the 1st design, 1963-67.

[Hugh]

Perhaps Megan or someone else can tell us if this (the current issue) was also revised in 1967?

KOREA, REPUBLIC OF ? Order of National Security Merit, Officer (Bo-Kook Hun-Jang Samil-Jang), Breast badge in gold, Mint in case of issue

[Hugh]

KOREA, REPUBLIC OF ? Order of National Security Merit, Knight (Bo-Kook Po-Jang, Gwangbog), Breast badge in silver, Mint in case of issue

[Hugh]

KOREA, REPUBLIC OF ? Presidential Commendation Badge, Mint in case of issue

[Ed_Haynes]

FASCINATING!!!!

Is it possibly possible that South Korean stuff may be more confusing than the Taiwanese awards? Could that be?

Chinese imperial is starting to seem straightforward by comparison.

Thanks!

[Hugh]

It's amazing to see how different the color on this new ribbon is from the original 50 year old ribbon.

KOREA, REPUBLIC OF ? Korean War Campaign Medal, Mint in case of issue

Medal Factory, Seoul, 1/05

[Hugh]

From here on, there is some doubt as to the official names of the medals. These are the descriptions of the medals as given to me over a few bottles of Jinro soju just after we'd bought them at the factory. I think this is basically the medal for the cleanup of operations against remnant North Korean / Chinese "dead-enders". (Remember that phrase?)

KOREA, REPUBLIC OF ? Guerrilla Service Medal (1954-55) Jiri Mountains (11^th Inf. Div.), Mint in case of issue

Medal Factory, Seoul, 1/05

[Hugh]

This one is interesting - the severe wounds medal is worn as a Steckkreuz (pin), similar to the German 1st class Iron Cross / Kriegsverdienstkreuz. As you'll see in the next posting, the non-severe wounds is worn as a normal medal.

KOREA, REPUBLIC OF ? Wound Medal (Severe Wounds) breast badge) , Mint in case of issue

Medal Factory, Seoul, 1/05

[Hugh]

The color on this and the previous post got out of hand. The star is silver-color.

KOREA, REPUBLIC OF ? Botong Sanji Kijang (Non-severe wounds w/ ribbon), Mint in case of issue

Medal Factory, Seoul, 1/05

[Hugh]

KOREA, REPUBLIC OF ? Red Cross Medal 1956, Mint in case of issue

Medal Factory, Seoul, 1/05

More later.

[Hugh]

FASCINATING!!!!

Is it possibly possible that South Korean stuff may be more confusing than the Taiwanese awards? Could that be?

Chinese imperial is starting to seem straightforward by comparison.

Thanks!

No, Ed, I don't think so. Wait until I start posting the ROC stuff. But at least they have a website. The only reference I have for Korea is a chart which doesn't include the campaign medals. And because of the changes (1967?), there are huge differences between old and new orders and decorations.

I haven't even begun to look at the process for posting all this on OMSA. I guess I'll continue here for a while, and see if I have the energy for OMSA later. Anyone who wants to use these posts to transfer it to OMSA is welcome to do so.

Best,

Hugh

[Ed_Haynes]

Thanks for all this, Hugh. Somebody, someday (hint-hint) needs to do something by way of reference, however premininary. See how long it has taken us to get something on "North Korea" and they are "the enemy" (to some of us), but we have NOTHING on "South Korea"!!!

Why not work it up here and then, maybe, OMSA later on.

What they have is pretty thin: http://www.omsa.org/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=552 (for a number of reasons, I don't do much over there anymore ).

[Megan]

Well, Hugh, it appears that virtually ALL South Korean orders exist in THREE types - 1950-67, 1967-73 and 1973 to the present day.

The 1967-73 versions are particularly hard to get hold of, but all of them are quite rare as it is illegal to sell what the government gives you.

Given the contents of my mailbox this morning, the relevant section of my website is going to grow fairly rapidly (copies to here & OMSA of course!).

More anon....

[Hugh]

KOREA, REPUBLIC OF ? Recovery from Worst Year Medal 1981 (Commemorates recovery efforts after assassination of Pres. Park Chung Hee and revolt in Kwangju Province), Mint in case of issue

Medal Factory, Seoul, 1/05

[Ed_Haynes]

Recovery from Worst Year Medal

Love the name!!!