The Worker-Peasant Red Guards are North Korea's mass civilian militia, formally established in 1959 as a reserve force subordinate to the Korean People's Army. By the 2010s, official estimates placed membership at roughly 5.7 million — a figure the regime publicizes as evidence of total societal mobilization. Commemorative brass issues of this size are characteristic of North Korean numismatic output intended for foreign collectors rather than domestic circulation, as hard currency generation has long been a quiet priority of the state's coin program.
The Worker-Peasant Red Guards are North Korea's mass civilian militia, formally established in 1959 as a reserve force subordinate to the Korean People's Army. By the 2010s, official estimates placed membership at roughly 5.7 million — a figure the regime publicizes as evidence of total societal mobilization. Commemorative brass issues of this size are characteristic of North Korean numismatic output intended for foreign collectors rather than domestic circulation, as hard currency generation has long been a quiet priority of the state's coin program.