Merits Medal.

[CtahhR]

This eighth variation is probably the current variation. It has very fine angular text on the reverse (to save metal resources).

[CtahhR]

This fourth variation has a slightly finer and deeper font than the third variation.

[Olegoss]

I try to find and send you definition of this medal from Korean encyclopedia

The definition from Big Korean encyclopedia

[CtahhR]

Who publishes this "Korean Encyclopaedia"?

Whenever DPRK officials have referred to this Medal to me in English it has always been as the Medal For Merits. A name not instigated by myself.
When referred to in German on the document in another thread it is Medal "For Meritorious Labour". This may have been due to the very distinct difference between civilian and military service before the lines got very blurred in more recent times with "Military Engineers" performing most of the "logistical" and materiel productive roles.

I believe the Agricultural Merits Medal is the only Merits Medal to be awarded only to civilians. The Military Merits Medal is at the other end of the spectrum being for military based merit. The three Merits Medal documents I have translated from my collection are all awarded to Soldiers but for non-combative roles - Energy, Materiel and Publishing. Civilians such as teachers and performers are also decorated with this Medal.

In the DPRK it can sometimes very difficult to distinguish between what is and is not "Military" with the implementation of Juche.

"공로메달
나라의 경제와 과학문화를 발전시키기 위한 투쟁에서 공훈을 세운 사람들을 국기적으로 표창하기 위하여 수여하는 메달.
영생불멸의 주체사상과 당의 조선, 정책으로 튼튼히 무장하고 나라의 경제하 과학문화를 발전시키는데 이바기한 로동자, 농민, 사무원, 기술자, 과학자, 문화인 기타 일군들에게 수여한다, 제체 38 (1949) 년 6월 13일 최인민회의 상임위원회 정령으로 제정되여 정령으로 수여된다.
이 메달은 왼쪽가슴에 단다. 수훈자가 사망한후 메달과 메달증은 그 가족에게 넘겨 주어 보존하게 한다."

Merits Medal,
Medal awarded in recognition, as a national sign of those who have worked meritoriously in the struggle for the development of science, culture or economy of the country.
Was enacted by decree of the supreme presidium of the nation assembly 13th June Juche 38 (1949), to be awarded to specialised and cultural workers, scientists, engineers, clerks, farmers,
Workers contributing to the development of science, culture, military economy of the country, strengthening the armed forces and policies of the Korean Party of the immortal Juche idea.

[GabrielMk3]

Now it's written in stone, at least! :thumbsup

[Olegoss]

Originally Posted by CtahhR

"공로메달
나라의 경제와 과학문화를 발전시키기 위한 투쟁에서 공훈을 세운 사람들을 국기적으로 표창하기 위하여 수여하는 메달.
영생불멸의 주체사상과 당의 조선, 정책으로 튼튼히 무장하고 나라의 경제하 과학문화를 발전시키는데 이바기한 로동자, 농민, 사무원, 기술자, 과학자, 문화인 기타 일군들에게 수여한다, 제체 38 (1949) 년 6월 13일 최인민회의 상임위원회 정령으로 제정되여 정령으로 수여된다.
이 메달은 왼쪽가슴에 단다. 수훈자가 사망한후 메달과 메달증은 그 가족에게 넘겨 주어 보존하게 한다."

Medal For Merits,
Medal awarded in recognition, as a national sign of those who have worked meritoriously in the struggle for the development of science, culture or economy of the country.
Was enacted by decree of the supreme presidium of the nation assembly 13th June Juche 38 (1949), to be awarded to specialised and cultural workers, scientists, engineers, clerks, farmers,
Workers contributing to the development of science, culture, military economy of the country, strengthening the armed forces and policies of the Korean Party of the immortal Juche idea.

Very good translation, I wonder who did it?
I’d like to make some corrections:

“to be awarded to workers, farmers, clerks, engineers, scientists, artists and others, armed with the immortal Juche idea and policies of the Party and contributed to the development of economy, science and culture of the country."

and finish translation:

이 메달은 왼쪽가슴에 단다. – (the medal) is worn on the chest left side.
수훈자가 사망한후 메달과 메달증은 그 가족에게 넘겨 주어 보존하게 한다. – After the death of award’s owner, the medal shell be kept in his family.

[CtahhR]

I'm not sure how "pure" this definition is as it is an "updated" definition. There would not have been mention of Juche in 1949 as it wasn't first termed until 1955 and not the state ideology until the 1972 constitution. The Juche calender was also not enacted until 1997. This article is describing the award through contemporary eyes.

I'd also like to add that typing out and translating Korean is not as much fun as it looks (even if it looks tedious). Someone has to do it.

(That's how I missed the last line - technical difficulties i.e. falling asleep)

"Shipbuilding Days!"

[Olegoss]

Originally Posted by CtahhR

I'm not sure how "pure" this definition is as it is an "updated" definition. There would not have been mention of Juche in 1949 as it wasn't first termed until 1955 and not the state ideology until the 1972 constitution. The Juche calender was also not enacted until 1997. This article is describing the award through contemporary eyes.

I'd also like to add that typing out and translating Korean is not as much fun as it looks (even if it looks tedious). Someone has to do it.

"Shipbuilding Days!"

May be it is not a pure definition, but the article in the encyclopedia. If you have got the medal charter in Korean I can translate it

I can translate for you anytime you want

[CtahhR]

Here is another variation with a fine font and a "rough" reverse.

[CtahhR]

Here is what could be the latest variation (which is the 11th Variation of Type 2 I've so far found). The reverse is more pebbled than just rough alike many other more modern variations of Medals.

I'm pretty certain that I have more variations on hand but when items come in in large quantities (usually 15-40 of each item), it isn't always possible to give each item a full scrutinise and some variations may be temporarily overlooked. Next year I may well focus some time on finding and presenting all variations in the collection but it is a very time consuming project to sort hundreds of Medals or Orders, sometimes with minimal yet distinctive variation and then present them to the forum in an informative and constructive way.