Back Работническо-селска червена гвардия Bulgarian Guàrdies Rojos Obrers i Camperols Catalan Arbeiter-und-Bauern-Rotarmisten German Guardias Rojos Obreros y Campesinos Spanish پاسداران سرخ کارگران و کشاورزان Persian Gardes rouges des ouvriers et paysans French Guardia rossa dei lavoratori e dei contadini Italian 労農赤衛軍 Japanese 로농적위군 Korean Arbeidernes og bøndenes rødegardister NB
| 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 | Front:.svg)
Back:  Regimental standard Banner used by militia units |
| Korean name | |
| Chosŏn'gŭl | 로농적위군 |
| Hancha | 勞農赤衛軍 |
| Revised Romanization | Ronongjeogwigun |
| McCune–Reischauer | Ronongjŏgwigun |
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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 is not only under State Affairs Commission (until 2016 National Defence Commission) and Ministry of Defence 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.
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The militia is organized on a provincial/city/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.[3] Its strength is estimated at 5 million personnel.[4]
- ^ "North Korean military takes oath of loyalty". www.enca.com. Archived from the original on 17 September 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
- ^ Scalapino, Robert A.; Lee, Chong-sik (1972). Communism in Korea: The society. University of California press. p. 948. ISBN 9780520022744.
- ^ 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.