Imagine what happens to North Korea leadership after (Wall comes down), Peace, or War?

I was in W. Germany in 1974 when Chancellor Willy Brandt's secy., Guenter Guillaume, a Wolf spy, was exposed. Brandt resigned as Chancellor, an unintended consequence of the caper, since Brandt was a left-leaning politician eager for rapprochement w/ the East & USSR.

I am absolutely flabbergasted that no one appears to have mentioned the Pueblo. I'd wager that there should be no rapprochement w/ N.K. until it voluntarily returns the Pueblo.

Likely the only admin. official even aware of it is SECDEF, & he wouldn't care to have to explain it to his Pres., who is notoriously obdurate about any idea that's not his.

Civil War. Kim won't give up leadership. He and many others need to stand trial at the Hague! Then short end of a rope! The guy is a butcher! What they are doing to their own people is inexcusable!

In the event of warfare and the likely war crimes to follow, much of the north korean political and military leadership would be held to blame. Those that aren't as connected but still have some pull will try to embed themselves into the new politcal scene.

As for north korean experts in cyber and nuclear I don't it would be something they'd be in the same priority as the German researchers. It isn't that US cyber command doesn't understand computer science and it's a new field of physics. The US military doesn't put as much investment into cyber warfare amd has its hands tied on some issues. The issue we had when it came to securing data and scientists was nuclear engineering was still in its relative infancy. (no pun intended) Major powers were about on par with each other when it came to progress in WMDs and needed anything new they could access. Cyber, it's known America's enemies just put more resources into their programs and systems

1) I don't think there will be a power grab/drain of tech people (like post WWII Germany). From what I understand, most of the technology people are foreigners anyway (mainly Russian and Chinese) and they will just go home.
2) The leadership is probably pretty nervous what will happen to them afterwords, when the average people find out why they have been living in such horrible conditions. I don't force a massive uprising, as the people are physically weak, while the military is better fed. Granted, that pre-supposes that the military won't side with he people, in which case the leadership should be really worried.
3) SOKO and China are both wondering how they are going to fix the massive humanitarian crisis that will emerge when people are allowed in to the country. Food, medicines, etc., are going to be a massive undertaking. Then the overall idea of what the country will do economically afterwords.... what economic unions will accept them, what banking systems will let them in, heck what are they going to produce (not like they are huge farmers or industrialists).

I will be honest that NOKO was never really covered in any of my Far East political science courses.

Thank you, Jim, for summarizing were these men went and left after the wall went down.

NK situation is much different- DRG did not "hero-worship" any of the leaders, nor was a cult built by the leadership. DRG was separated for roughly 40 years, yet had some contact but visiting family occasionally, NK has hated us for 60 years, and there are virtually know family visits to let the common folks see the NK lies. The NVKD and it's Russian counter- part might arrest you, send you to a work camp, but there was a chance to get released. NK if they don't kill you 1st, will work you too death in a camp. Forget any release hope. If Fat Boy dies, he was rigged things so his sister take over, might be Civil War, but don't think they would come across the DMZ, till after their ducks where in a row.

Highly unlikely, but I think the only way Kim Jong In steps down voluntarily is after the guarantee of asylum and a dream life in "captive" exile for him and his family. I doubt that will happen, and I doubt that China will let it happen.

If Kim Jong UN isn't the Chinese "crazy attack dog" they will engineer his replacement with a more progressive someone else who can and will follow orders, but will remain a bit "totally nuts." when it comes to the US and its allies. The NKDP is done if ever a significant minority of their population gets to see South Korea and go home to tell the truth.

This is a brutal Regime. They are using political prisoners as test subjects for biological weapons. It is very hard intellectually to argue that they should be given a pass just because the argument is, "If we don't give them a pass, no peace is possible!" Sometimes a War is required on Morality alone.

Perhaps. Yes, the US have done so in the past. However, in general, there was a moral element to the selection process. If useful; what have they done in the past, can they be trusted now, where do their loyalties and ideology rest? The isolation ok the DPRK poses unique challenges. However, I suspect the US will be interested, if the opportunities exist.

A key overall difference is the collapse of the nation in each of the previous cases. North Korea may have issues; however, it is still a viable national entity.