North Korea has repeatedly heralded the Korean People’s Army (KPA) troops deployed to Russia to fight against Ukraine, with leader Kim Jong Un joining ceremonies to welcome those who return home and sending greetings to those still abroad for New Year’s.

But the DPRK now faces the challenge of reintegrating thousands of soldiers exposed to the wider world outside the regime’s information controls, mindful of the risks that the military can pose to authoritarian leadership if not firmly controlled.

NK Pro analysis suggests that North Korea will take disparate approaches for different