North Korea’s Troop Dispatch Strategy in the Russia–Ukraine War and Its Economic Implications : A Comparative Analysis with the Cases of Japan and South Korea

This study analyzes North Korea’s military involvement in the Russia–Ukraine war and compares it with Japan’s economic boom during the Korean War and South Korea’s troop deployment to the Vietnam War. To this end, the study applies structural realism, dependency theory, war economy theory, and military–industrial complex theory as its analytical frameworks. Four research variables—security benefits, economic gains, international legitimacy, and risk factors—are employed to conduct a comparative analysis. The findings indicate that Japan and South Korea utilized participation in external wars to secure security reinforcement alongside economic resources and military modernization, with these gains subsequently linked to the expansion of dollar-based international trade and economic growth. In contrast, North Korea, under a sanctions regime, seeks to obtain foreign currency, resources, and military technology through arms supplies and troop deployment in support of Russia. However, due to its reliance on limited currencies and barter-based transactions, such gains face substantial constraints in translating into meaningful integration into the international economic system. Moreover, North Korea’s troop deployment is accompanied by structural risk factors, including a lack of international legitimacy, deepening dependence on a specific patron state, and the possibility of additional sanctions and regional instability. Accordingly, while North Korea’s deployment strategy may function as a short-term measure to support regime survival, this study finds that its potential to evolve into a sustainable long-term development strategy remains limited. The study further suggests that North Korea’s overseas military involvement should be understood as a factor with significant implications for the security environment on the Korean Peninsula and the broader international system, warranting recognition as a subject of medium- to long-term security management.