From BBC News · · 2m
Kim Jong Un's luxury yachts reveal hidden summer life
Satellite images show four large vessels repeatedly visiting North Korea's Wonsan coast, where the leader's family retreats while ordinary citizens struggle to survive.
In brief
Satellite images show four large vessels repeatedly visiting North Korea's Wonsan coast, where the leader's family retreats while ordinary citizens struggle to survive. Satellite imagery reveals Kim Jong Un's family uses multiple luxury yachts for summer retreats at Wonsan while most North Koreans live in poverty…
Eighty-metre yacht spotted off North Korea
An eighty-metre luxury vessel with a fifty-metre swimming pool and waterslides has been repeatedly spotted in satellite images off Wonsan from July to mid-October this year.
Vessel moved to Kim's seaside retreat
After sitting idle for months, the yacht relocated in early July to waters off the Kalma Peninsula, close to Wonsan where Kim Jong Un and his family use a sprawling villa.
Multiple large vessels tracked near villa
The BBC tracked four large vessels measuring approximately fifty metres, fifty-five metres, sixty metres and eighty metres, all repeatedly appearing around Kim's Wonsan villa this year.
Experts say vessels belong to regime
Former North Korean officials, defectors and experts say it would be difficult for anyone unconnected to the regime's leadership to own or freely use vessels of this size.
Summer recreation for the elite
Ri Jong Ho, a former Workers' Party official, says the regime brings vessels out in summer to Kim Jong Un's villa or towards Kalma for swimming and recreation.
“In winter, they would keep them at the shipyard. When summer came, they would bring them out and move them to Kim Jong Un's villa or towards Kalma, and use them for swimming and recreation.”
Comparable yachts cost tens of millions
Comparable luxury yachts run from tens of millions to over one hundred million dollars. Kim's smaller twenty-nine-metre Princess yacht was previously estimated to be worth about seven million dollars.
Most North Koreans live in poverty
According to a two thousand twenty-five UN report, most North Koreans live under systematic, widespread and gross human rights violations with chronic food shortages leaving an estimated forty percent undernourished.
Holidays are out of reach for most
Workers, office employees and cooperative farmers are legally entitled to fourteen days of annual leave, but this is rarely followed. Travel outside their city requires official permission.
Stark contrast between leaders and people
Ri Jong Ho says Kim Jong Un is supposed to be a leader of the people, yet he has four luxury vessels while ordinary people struggle just to get one meal a day.
“Kim Jong Un is supposed to be a 'leader of the people,' yet he has four luxury vessels like these while ordinary people are struggling just to get one meal a day.”
The takeaway
Satellite imagery reveals Kim Jong Un's family uses multiple luxury yachts for summer retreats at Wonsan while most North Koreans live in poverty under systematic human rights violations.
