North Korea’s troops when the Ukraine conflict ends

What to do with experienced, probably cynical troops aware of the external world with an increased capacity to coordinate and act?

As the war in Ukraine winds down (hopefully), attention will turn to what happens to the foreign contingents who joined the fight—particularly North Korea’s troops deployed in support of Russian forces. While exact figures and deployments remain murky, the presence of North Korean military personnel, whether as construction troops, artillery support, or direct combatants, signalled a new phase of Pyongyang’s military diplomacy. It was a difficult decision to send troops in the first place. Once the fighting ends, North Korea will face a crucial decision: what to do with experienced, probably cynical troops aware of the external world with an increased capacity to coordinate and act.

Homecoming? The most straightforward option is the troops simply returning home. This is not without complications.

Returning troops increases the capacity of dissent to spread, coordinate and act. The same was seen in South Korea and U.S. soldiers on return from combat in Vietnam, and Russian soldiers on re…