# Worker-Peasant Red Guards

The Worker-Peasant Red Guards (WPRG; Korean: 로농적위군), also translated as Workers and Peasants' Red Militia (WPRM), is a paramilitary force in North Korea as the largest civil defense force in North Korea.

## Name

The name ‘Worker-Peasant Red Guards’ first appeared at the military parade commemorating the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Party on October 10, 2010, and thereafter North Korea began calling it the ‘Worker-Peasant Red Guards’.

## Organisation

The militia is organized on a provincial/city/town/village level, and structured on a brigade, battalion, company, and platoon basis. Its strength is estimated at 5 million personnel.
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 Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

## History

The organization was established In order to make up for the shortage of troops as the Chinese troops that participated in the Korean War withdrew in April 1958.
North Korea disbanded the Self-Defense Forces, previously under the command of the Ministry of Social Security, and on 14 January, 1959.
The organization was formally established with workers, farmers, intellectuals, and students joining it, and had a force of 500,000 people.
At first, they were required to receive military training while working for a living. But in 1962, in accordance with the policy of arming the entire population, the organization was expanded to include men aged 18 to 45 and single women aged 18 to 35.
In 1971, the applicable age for the Workers' and Peasants' Red Guards was extended to 50 years old, and all men and single women aged 17 to 60 who were not transferred to the prison guards were targeted for formation, and it continues to this day.
They were also widely mobilized to help with reconstruction projects following the mass destruction that occurred during the Korean War.

## Equipment

The militia uses mostly small arms phased out from frontline service, while access to advanced equipment is limited.

### Small arms

| Name | Origin | Type | Notes |
| PPSh-41 | Soviet Union | Submachine gun | Produced locally as the Type 49. The Chinese Type 50 is also used. |
| Mosin-Nagant | Soviet Union | Bolt-action rifle | Chinese copies are also used. |
| Type 58 | North Korea | Assault rifle | North Korean copy of the AK-47. Used by militias and support troops. |
| Type 63 | North Korea | Semi-automatic rifle | North Korean copy of the SKS. |
| Type 73 | North Korea | Light machine gun | Reportedly used. |
| Bulsae-3 | North Korea | Anti-tank guided missile | Seen at a military parade in 2021. |
Besides small arms, the Worker-Peasant Red Guards also maintains heavier weapons such as mortars, anti-aircraft guns, and some obsolete vehicles such as T-34 tanks and SU-100 tank destroyers.
They use older Ural D-62 motorcycles, although some units are unarmed indicating status as logistics and medical units.
During a parade in September 2023 elements of the force paraded in what appeared to be truck mounted 122mm rockets tubes disguised as civilian vehicles.

## Gallery

* Worker-Peasant Red Guards at the Samjiyon Grand Monument (삼지연대기념비).
* Worker-Peasant Red Guards at the 2023 September military parade