Order of Freedom and Independence

{{Short description|North Korean Military Medal}}

{{About|the North Korean order|the Chinese order|Order of Independence and Freedom}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}}

{{Infobox military award

|name=Order of Freedom and Independence
자유독립훈장 (自由獨立勳章)

|image=File:Order of Freedom and Independence 1st class collar star (North Korea) - Tallinn Museum of Orders.jpg

|image_size=300px

|caption=Collar and Star of the Order of Freedom and Independence

|presenter=The Democratic People's Republic of Korea

|country=North Korea

|type=Order

|eligibility=

|awarded_for=Military achievements

|campaign=Korean War

|status=Active

|description=

|motto="조국을 위하여"
(For the Fatherland){{Cite web | title = Medal-Medaille , Orders, decorations and medals of the world for sale online | author = | work = medal-medaille.com | date = | accessdate = 11 October 2015 | url = http://www.medal-medaille.com/sold/product_info.php?products_id=3746}}|clasps=|post-nominals=|established={{start date|1950|07|07|df=yes}}

|firstawarded=

|lastawarded=

|total_awarded=227 (First Class)
7746 (Second Class)

|total_awarded_posthumously=

|total_recipients=

|precedence_label=

|individual=

|higher=Order of the National Flag

|same=

|lower=

|related=Order of the National Flag

|image2=File:FreedomAndIndependence1Ribbon.jpg File:FreedomAndIndependence2Ribbon.jpg

|caption2=First and second class ribbons}}

{{Infobox Korean name

| hangul =자유독립훈장{{Cite web | title = Chests Full of Brass: A DPRK Political History in Orders, Medals, Prizes, and Titles | last = Weiser | first = Martin | work = Sino-NK | date = 8 January 2016 | access-date = 16 April 2016 | url = http://sinonk.com/2016/01/08/chests-full-of-brass-a-dprk-political-history-in-orders-medals-prizes-and-titles/ }}

| hanja =自由獨立勳章

| rr =Jayu Dongnip Hunjang

| mr =Chayu Tongnip Hunjang

| koreanipa =

| context =north

| image =

| caption =

}}

The Order of Freedom and Independence ({{Korean|hangul=자유독립훈장|context=north}}) is one of the highest North Korean orders. It is divided into two classes: the first class is awarded to commanders and partisan units of brigades, divisions, and higher military groups for bravery, courage, and auspicious command of military operations. The second class is awarded to the commanders of partisan regiments, battalions, companies, and detachments, as well as to civil professionals employed in the industry for the military.{{cite book|title=Mała Encyklopedia Wojskowa|volume=II|location=Warsaw|date=1970|publisher=Wyd-wo Ministerstwa Obrony Narodowej|oclc=644013103|language=Polish}} The order is awarded with the Order of the National Flag of the same rank.

The order was instituted on 7 July 1950, during the Korean War.{{cite book|last=Sainty|first=Guy Stair|title=World orders of knighthood and merit|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WiYYAQAAMAAJ|volume=2|date=17 August 2006|publisher=Burke's Peerage & Gentry|isbn=978-0-9711966-7-4|page=1281}}

Two variants have been made: one Soviet-made with a twisting mechanism for attachment and a North Korean-made with a pin.{{Cite web | script-title=ru:НАГРАДЫ КНДР. ОРДЕН СВОБОДЫ И НЕЗАВИСИМОСТИ. | author = | work = wawards.narod.ru | date = | accessdate = 11 October 2015 | url = http://wawards.narod.ru/azia/kn/1/medal.html | language = Russian}}