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The Worker-Peasant Red Guards (WPRG; Korean: 로농적위군), also translated as Workers and Peasants' Red Militia (WPRM),[2] is a paramilitary force in North Korea. It is the largest civil defense force in North Korea. It was established on 14 January 1959 by Kim Il Sung[3] and is not only under State Affairs Commission (until 2016 National Defense Commission) and Ministry of Defense control, but is also attached to the Workers' Party of Korea under its Military Leadership Department. It is thus responsible to the Supreme Leader in his capacity as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
| Worker-Peasant Red Guards | |
|---|---|
| 로농적위군 | |
 Emblem of the Worker-Peasant Red Guards | |
| Founded | January 1959 |
| Country |  North Korea |
| Allegiance | Kim Jong Un[1] |
| Type | Paramilitary militia |
| Role | Civil Defense |
| Size | 5 million personnel |
| Colors |  |
| Korean name | |
| Chosŏn'gŭl | 로농적위군 |
| Hancha | 勞農赤衛軍 |
| Revised Romanization | Ronongjeogwigun |
| McCune–Reischauer | Ronongjŏgwigun |
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The militia is organized on a provincial/City and town/village level, and structured on a brigade, battalion, company, and platoon basis. The militia maintains infantry small arms, with some mortars, field guns and anti-aircraft guns and even modernized older equipment such as multiple rocket launchers like the BM-13 and older Ural D-62 motorcycles, although some units are unarmed indicating status as logistics and medical units.[4] Its strength is estimated at 5 million personnel.[5]
EquipmentEdit
See alsoEdit
Other nations:
- Red Guards (Russia) (Soviet Union)
- China Militia (China)
- Combat Groups of the Working Class (East Germany)
- Workers' Militia (Hungarian People's Republic)
- Volunteer Reserve of the Citizens' Militia (Polish People’s Republic)
- People's Militias (Czechoslovakia)
- Patriotic Guards (Romania)
- Territorial Defence (SFR Yugoslavia)
- Colectivo (Venezuela)
- Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (Cuba)
ReferencesEdit
- ^ "North Korean military takes oath of loyalty". www.enca.com. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
- ^ Scalapino, Robert A.; Lee, Chong-sik (1972). Communism in Korea: The society. University of California press. p. 948. ISBN 9780520022744.
- ^ "Golden Jubilee of Worker-Peasant Red Guards Marked", KCNA, 13 January 2009
- ^ Bermudez (2001), pg 4–5.
- ^ Oh, Kongdan; Hassig, Ralph C. (2004). North Korea through the Looking Glass. Washington: Brookings Institution Press. p. 231. ISBN 978-0-8157-9820-0.
