Recently, train activity along the North Korea–Russia border has rapidly declined to pre–Ukraine war levels, which appears to be due to the reduced demand for weapons following the completion of the mission of the North Korean special operations forces dispatched to Russia for the liberation of Kursk. At present, North Korea’s third contingent of combat engineer units in Russia is focused on reconstruction tasks, while the special operations forces are regrouping in the rear. They are expected to remain stationed for the time being to provide security support for the reconstruction units or to be deployed to other fronts if necessary. In addition, in response to the large number of casualties, Kim Jong Un has continued efforts to strengthen internal cohesion by personally promoting the extreme glorification of the fallen as heroes.

Such attempts by North Korea appear similar to South Korea’s case in the 1960s, when the deployment of troops to the Vietnam War was used to modernize the South Korean military and promote economic development, including the expansion of Korean companies into the U.S. market. Likewise, North Korea seems to be pursuing a similar path. Furthermore, with a large number of troops experienced in modern warfare and bolstered by Russian support, North Korea is expected to see a rapid enhancement of its combat capabilities, raising the possibility of miscalculation that could lead to a crisis.