SEOUL — South Korean President Lee Jae-myung hosted a solemn conferral ceremony at the Blue House on Friday, presenting ceremonial sword ribbons—known as Suchi—to newly promoted general-grade officers of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Armed Forces.
The event recognized four high-ranking commanders who have recently advanced to the ranks of General and Lieutenant General across the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Among those honored were General Lee Sang-ryeol, Commander of the Ground Operations Command; Lieutenant General Park Heung-jae, Superintendent of the Air Force Academy; Lieutenant General Yoon Han-il, Chief of Staff at the Ground Operations Command; and Lieutenant General Cho Chung-ho, Vice Chief of Naval Operations.
During the ceremony, President Lee personally attached the Suchi ribbons to the commanders' swords, extending his congratulations and emphasizing the heavy responsibility placed upon military leadership during a pivotal era for national defense.
The Samjeong-geom (Three Spirits Sword) is a ceremonial sword awarded to ROK military officers upon reaching the rank of Brigadier General (one-star). Symbolizing the unification and joint cooperation of the nation’s three armed service branches—the Army, Navy, and Air Force—the sword embodies three core mandates: defending the nation (Hoguk), working toward peaceful unification (Tongil), and ensuring national prosperity (Beongyeong).
When officers achieve further promotions to Lieutenant General (three-star) or full General (four-star), they do not receive a new sword. Instead, the President confers a Suchi, a decorative fabric ribbon attached to the Samjeong-geom. Each Suchi is hand-inscribed with the officer’s rank, full name, the date of conferral, and the official title and signature of the President of the Republic of Korea.
The conferral ceremony reflects South Korea's longstanding military tradition of honoring joint-service excellence and operational readiness. By entrusting these senior officers with enhanced command responsibility, the administration reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining robust national security, modernizing defense capabilities, and strengthening inter-service harmony across all operational theaters.
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