North Korea has long captured the minds of a worldwide community of experts, activists and journalists, united in trying to better understand, explain or in some way help what is arguably the most idiosyncratic country on Earth.

But there’s an underreported phenomenon unfolding behind the scenes: Every year, a steady stream of people quietly leave the North Korea field.

Burnout, frustration or disillusionment — the reasons vary, but the result is an ongoing exodus that could lead to new problems further down the line.

“The average tenure of an active and prominent North Korea expert, especially an activist, ranges between