Now that Russia opened up cooperation with DPRK, it's quite likely that things there will be looking better than in occupied Korea soon.
Arguably, things have been better in the DPRK again for a few years just like they were up until the tail end of the 80s
Indeed, DPRK was doing just fine until USSR dissolved, and then they went through some bad times because of all the sanction. The main things they need are access to food and fuel, both of which Russia can supply them in effectively unlimited amount. Meanwhile, Russian economy is overheating now where there isn't enough labour available to sustain the growing industrial activity. This is where DPRK fits perfectly since they used to be a major manufacturing hub for USSR. I saw that they're now opening up a join economic development zone with Russia that looks very similar to that.
And i don't know if this is true but there were rumors at some point that DPRK construction crews might be called in to help with the rebuilding in the new Russian territories. At the time they were talking Mariupol but i'm sure there will be plenty of that sort of work available in the other cities as well.
Depending on how much territory Russia ends up taking, there could be a lot of reconstruction happening.
I really hope, with the DPRK on one side, and China on the other, this will help bring back some level of socialism to Russia. I know it's a long shot, but just maybe. Right now I figure China and DPRK will look the other way to the Russian oligarchy but perhaps once the western empire really started to crumble maybe they will have more wiggle room to put pressure on. At least, I can dream of it. lol
I mean most people in Russia do think that collapse of USSR was a huge mistake, and views of USSR are generally positive. I don't think it's out the realm of possibility that a system modelled on one in China will eventually emerge. In a sense there are already a lot of similarities with the state industry in Russia being a major part of the economy, and the government having a lot of control over the private sector.