Large luxury yachts belonging to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un appeared active off the coast of Wonsan over the weekend, around the time state media implied he was in the area, according to NK Pro analysis of satellite imagery. 

The timing indicates Kim could have been using his yachts to relax off the east coast in secret even as he has recently sought to project an image of himself managing disaster response and taking care of food shortage issues.

Kim blamed local officials near Wonsan for flooding and praised military-led recovery efforts last week, and he expressed his fury toward top central party officials while inspecting flooded rice paddies on the west coast near Nampho in recent days.

Though state media didn’t specify the dates of Kim’s recent appearances, NK Pro analysis suggests he was in the Wonsan area between Aug. 13 and 20.

Planet Labs satellite imagery shows a white boat measuring around 82 feet (25 meters) off the private beach of his main Wonsan mansion complex last Thursday morning (Aug. 17). A boat, similar in size and appearance, then appeared attached to a 165-foot (50-meter) custom megayacht anchored at nearby Tae Island on Saturday.

Though the image resolution is not high enough to identify the white vessels, their appearance matches one of Kim’s multi-million dollar Princess brand yachts he imported in the early 2010s.

NK Pro previously reported that one of his Princess yachts, which he’s believed to have at least two of, also appeared to move from the private marina of his mansion to Tae Island in June 2022.

Similar activity at Tae Island has not appeared in available imagery since July 2022, indicating the pleasure boats are likely reserved for Kim and his immediate family. White boats appearing similar to the Princess yachts had not previously appeared at Kim’s marina since May 3. 

The megayacht seen at Tae Island last week features a blue roof that covers its deck and looked like it was being repaired and/or upgraded in early May at Kim’s recently renovated dock facilities in Wonsan Bay. His three larger custom megayachts, including one featuring an Olympic-sized pool and multi-story lounge area, have also visited the same repair dock since April this year, as they appear to do annually.

WHERE’S KIM?

Regarding when North Korea’s leader was in Wonsan, NK Pro located state media images published Monday of Kim inspecting a naval ship to a unit on the coast of Munchon, just north of Wonsan. 

The long-stalled Wonsan Kalma beach resort project also appears in the background of another image published Monday showing the ship at sea during a cruise missile launch exercise. Tae Island is hidden behind another island in the image, but the warship appeared to be in the same general vicinity as Kim’s yachts.

Images published on Aug. 14 and 18 show Kim inspecting flood damage in Anbyon County, also near Wonsan to the southeast. These reports imply he was in the area in the days before publishing.

While recent state media reports appear to show Kim prioritizing repairs to flooded farmland, he has also visited at least nine military factories producing nuclear missiles and other weapons this month. He led a Central Military Commission meeting to discuss war plans against South Korea as well. 

Kim said in late 2021 that military spending would continue to have an “overriding importance” over economic development.

NK Pro located Kim’s reported Aug. 11-12 military factory visits to the Hamhung area on the east coast, north of Wonsan, and this raises the possibility that Kim stayed at his various beach mansions in the area and inspected what appears to be a project to build a new large and luxurious private train station during that period.

Edited by Alannah Hill