The United Nations Service Medal for Korea was established by the UN in December of 1950. These military medals were the first UN medals to be established, and the first international award ever created. These military ribbons recognize the multi-national defense forces which served in the Korean War. These military awards are presented to any military service member of South Korea’s allied Armed Forces who participated in the defense of South Korea between June 1950 and July 1954.
The award authority for the United Nations Service Medal for Korea is the United Nations Commander-in-Chief of military forces in South Korea. However, most countries consider these military medals to be automatic service awards and grant them without requesting permission through UN channels. In the US military branches, the receipt of a Korean Service Medal is automatically accompanied by a UN Service Medal for Korea. In November of 1961, the UN changed the name of these military ribbons to the United Nations Service Medal Korea, since other UN medals were being prepared. Since the UN has no medal for brave or lifesaving actions, UN military personnel can be awarded a UN Commendation by the Force Commander to recognize selfless actions in combat situations.
The United Nations Service Medal Korea is worn below the Vietnam Civil Action Medal and above the Inter-American Defense Board Medal in the order of precedence for all US military medals and ribbons. These military awards are generally available to all US service personnel who served in South Korea during the specified times and can be worn as traditional full size military medals and mini medals, military ribbons and lapel pins. Like most military medals, it is available as traditional slide-on, full size military medals or mini-medals, slide-on military ribbons, and thin military medals, mini-medals and ribbons.