The Soldier's Medal of Honour was instituted on July 1, 1950. The order is a military award of North Korea given to soldiers and guerrillas for combat bravery or leadership of troops in battle. Designed along the lines of and awarded with the criteria as the same level as the Soviet Order of the Patriotic War. North Korea granted a 50% pension to any soldier permanently disabled in an action that result in the soldier being awarded the order.