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Perhaps the most unusual rank in the North Korean army is that of Vice-Marshal.

This title does not mean that the holder is a one-star general of the air force, as it does in the British army. Rather, it means the holder is ranked directly above all the generals in the Korean People’s Army (KPA).

By looking at who was promoted to this rank, we can assess the Kims’ policy towards the country’s elite.

The very word “Vice-Marshal” (차수) had