Between self-reliance and pragmatic interests: the impact of North Korea's troop deployment to Ukraine on its people

Abstract

As of March 2025, approximately 11,000 North Korean soldiers were deployed to support Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with an estimated 5000 casualties, including about 1600 fatalities. While overseas troop deployments typically spark domestic political resistance due to their human costs, analyses of North Korea's involvement have largely overlooked such tensions, focusing instead on state-to-state transactions and international security implications. Pyongyang's decision appears motivated by expected 'gifts' from Russia, ranging from essential supplies to advanced military technology, as well as the opportunity to gain combat experience amid ongoing regional tensions. Domestically, the regime's monolithic ideological system enforces a communication environment where message consistency is crucial to sustaining public support. This makes justifying troop deployment abroad, which conflicts with North Korea's long-standing policy of self-reliance, particularly challenging. This paper examines how the regime navigates these contradictions by managing internal dissent and crafting a persuasive rationale for its populace. In light of North Korea's official acknowledgement of troop deployment only in April 2025 and potential future deployments, the analysis highlights the political risks and strategic calculations underpinning this decision.