President Kim Il Sung formed the KRA in Guyushu, Yitong County on July 6, Juche 19 (1930).

That day he, in his speech "On the Mission and Basic Tasks of the Korean Revolutionary Army", said the KRA should conduct brisk political and military activities to train core elements, secure weapons, accumulate military experience and closely rally broad sections of people for an organized anti-Japanese armed struggle.

At that time the revolutionaries of a new generation lacked knowledge, military manual and experience necessary to launch an anti-Japanese armed struggle.

There were only some people from the Independence Army and Hwasong Uisuk School and some pistols. They had to gain both weapons and military experience by themselves.

Under such conditions, it was imperative for the founding of standing revolutionary armed forces and full-scale armed struggle to train core elements of the revolution, secure weapons, gain military experience and lay mass foundations by dint of a transitional armed organization.

That is why he formed the KRA before the founding of standing revolutionary armed forces.

After nearly two years of preparations, he founded the Anti-Japanese People's Guerrilla Army, standing revolutionary armed forces, on April 25, Juche 21 (1932).

The KRA served as bedrock of the strong revolutionary armed forces of the Workers' Party of Korea.