- Time Period: Post-WW2
- Institution: 29 September 1950
- Country: South Korea
The Order of Military Merit (무공훈장 in Korean) is the primary military decoration awarded by the South Korean government.
The Order 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.”
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)
- Inheon (인헌).
The Order of Military Merit Design
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.