The Defense Agency and the National Public Safety Commission on Monday revised a 1954 emergency cooperation agreement to expand the role of the Self-Defense Forces so that they can combat armed guerrilla attacks.

The 46-year-old agreement, originally devised when the government's primary security concern was to combat radical labor demonstrators, was amended to allow the SDF to cope with "illegal activities committed by armed agents" in cooperation with police, agency officials said.

The SDF's previous role was limited to backing up police during riots or demonstrations so they would have enough personnel.