The medals listed below are generally considered to be military medals, however, during the Korean War the Korean Police had a number of combat police units. These units were primarily composed of conscripts and were used to maintain order in the cities and to ferret out any guerilla units. Those medals which were available to the Korean Police are indicated with an asterisk symbol (*).
- Armed Forces Foundation Commemoration Medals
- *Anti-Guerrilla Warfare Service Medal 공비토벌기장 (共匪討伐記章)
- *The Republic of Korea’s War Service Medal 대한민국의 전쟁종군기장
- Overcoming National Crisis Medal 국난극복기장령
- Medal to Commemorate the Dispatch of Peacekeeping Activities (PKO) Forces. 평화유지활동(PKO)군 파병기념 기장
- Republic of Korea Service Medal 대한민국 근무 기장
- Soldiers Bereaved Family Medal 군인유족기장 (軍人遺族記章)
- The Vietnam Participation Medal 월남 참전 기장
- *Wound Medals 상이군인장 (傷痍軍人章)
The Ministry of National Defense 국방부 (國防部) began on November 13, 1945, when the National Defense Command was established by the United States Army Military Government in Korea (USAMGIK). On March 29, 1946, the National Defense Command was renamed the Ministry of National Defense, and on June 15, 1946, it was renamed the Ministry of Internal Security 국내경비부. On Sept. 5, 1948, the Chosŏn Guard and Coast Guard became the Korean Army and Navy. Lee Beom-seok 이범석 (李範奭) 1900 – 1972)1 served as the first Minister of National Defense from Aug. 14, 1948 to Mar. 20, 1949. On Nov. 30, 1948, the Armed Forces Organization Act, Law #9 was enacted. The Ministry of National Defense Organization was created by enactment of Presidential Decree No. 37 on Dec. 7, 1948.
Footnotes:
- In 1941, he served as a general and chief of staff in the Korean Liberation Army, of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea. He was also instrumental in negotiating with the US Office of Strategic Services to create the Eagle Project, a joint mission with the Provisional Government to infiltrate occupied Korea during World War II.