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Translated from a Korean wiki page

Discard Grade

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\n Last edited: 2026-03-21 03:25:59\n Comments: 20\n Edit Request\n Discussion\n History\n

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\n Category: Slang\n Category: Korean Profanity\n Category: Military Terms\n

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Overview
When used for people
Related documents

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1. Overview

廢級

\n In the Republic of Korea Armed Forces, this term refers to the status assigned by the responsible personnel when supplied goods are judged to be unusable. The opposite term is special grade (or A-grade). Literally expanded, 폐급 means “a grade that should be discarded”; bluntly put, it can be understood as “trash.”\n

\n Of course, just as with the word “trash,” something may be downgraded to 폐급 even if it does not actually need to be disposed of, simply because the user dislikes it. For example, when newer and older versions of supplies are mixed together, the older version is often called 폐급 even if it is in excellent condition or is brand new.\n

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2. When Used for People

\n Although it originated as military jargon, it began to be used by discharged veterans and soon became a term that civilians also use quite often. It can refer to a hopelessly incompetent person, or more generally to someone who causes trouble for others in everyday life regardless of intent.\n

\n In fact, to be called 폐급 in the military, it is not enough to be someone who merely fails to adjust; the person generally has to be incapable of carrying out normal duties or to refuse to do so.^[1] Just as supplies that are not A-grade may still be usable, but discard-grade supplies are worse than receiving nothing at all,^[2] a discard-grade person is considered worse than having no one there. If that person is removed from the official headcount, a replacement may be assigned. If supplies are simply absent, one can ask for them; but if the supplies are garbage, the response becomes, “You already received them, so you cannot get more.”\n

\n Considering that South Korea has at times been counted among the seven countries warned by the international community over forced labor practices, it is understandable that people may feel the situation is unfair. However, from the senior personnel’s point of view, they also did not want to be there. Therefore, if a person can be used at all, it is the role of commanders or seniors to guide and coax them into functioning as much as possible. But for personnel of this type, the more advantageous option is often to transfer them out as quickly as possible. Left in place, they are seen as doing harm at best and, even in the best case, merely occupying a slot. Yet because transfer procedures are troublesome, and because having many transfers can raise doubts about a commander’s personnel-management ability, commanders may simply neglect the issue and leave it to the unit members. When that happens, hazing and abusive treatment can result.\n

\n This is not limited to the military. In companies, organizations, and other groups, a socially inept “discard-grade” member is regarded as little different from a tumor, so expulsion or dismissal is common. In the public sector, such a person may become a target for demotion, and even promotion by years of service to Grade 6 can become difficult. In some cases involving civil servants who are considered beyond hope^[3], certain institutions such as Seoul City Hall may assign the lowest possible evaluation grade, “Ga”^[4], then initiate a dismissal review and corrective education orders to encourage removal from the organization.\n

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3. Related Documents

Republic of Korea Armed Forces
Special Grade

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Notes

\n Includes cases of effectively refusing service by faking mental illness or malingering. Sometimes there are also people whose real mental illness makes normal military life nearly impossible, in which case the fault lies with the Military Manpower Administration’s dereliction of duty. Normally, if someone has an actual mental illness, has undergone counseling and medication treatment for at least six months at a Military Manpower Administration-designated hospital, and still has symptoms that interfere even slightly with daily life, they are generally classified as Grade 4.\n
\n For example, an item may explode during normal use, or may be impossible to use at all.\n
\n For example, coercing others to join a labor union that one personally established.\n
\n “Ga” as in the sequence Su, U, Yang, Ga. A civil servant who receives a “Ga” evaluation becomes subject to a dismissal review, so in practice the proportion of “Ga” ratings functions as an absolute evaluation.\n

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\n License notice: This work may be used under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 KR, except for some documents and illustrations that may specify a different license. Copyright for contributed documents belongs to their respective contributors, and each contributor retains copyright over the parts they contributed.\n

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\n Site disclaimer: NamuWiki is not an encyclopedia, and its contents may be unverified, biased, or incorrect. NamuWiki is a wiki, meaning users can directly edit documents and open discussions if they want others’ opinions.\n

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Discard Grade

Contents

1. Overview

2. When Used for People

3. Related Documents

Notes