So North Korea (NK) soldiers are training in Russia to fight alongside
Russian troops against Ukrainian forces. If this is to give NK troops infantry and tank battlefield experience this is bad news indeed for South Korea (SK).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_involvement_in_the_Russian_invasion_of_Ukraine#North_Korea_2
Also bad news is NK’s closer relationship with Russia. The last time good Russian-NK relations occurred NK invaded SK. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_War#Prelude_to_war_(1950)
NK tank warfare hasn’t been practised since around 1950 and NK infantry since 1953. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_War#Course_of_the_war
So lack of practice
for up to 74 years needs to be made good as a prerequisite to NK invading SK. Also NK can upgrade its aging tank stocks and perhaps receive new Russian tanks, with Russian lessons learnt on the Ukrainian front.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_equipment_of_the_Korean_People%27s_Army_Ground_Force#Armour
This time NK also has thermonuclear weapons, so can feel more confident that an SK (or allied)
ground counter-invasion into NK might not occur.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Korea_and_weapons_of_mass_destruction#2017
Also China would constitute a far stronger (military or at least political) ally for NK than in 1950 (when China entered the Korean War). China might also see an opportunity to pursue its own aims against Taiwan.
Furthermore the Kim dynasty is unbalanced, as usual.Kim III may also coolly calculate that the West (especially the US) is distracted be two current wars: in Ukraine and Israel-Gaza-Lebanon-Iran.
Into this dark mix is the possibility Trump may win the November 5 Election. This makes the situation
in NK-SK and the two current wars more volatile.