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MOSCOW – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has started his trip to visit Russian President Vladimir Putin. South Korean media reported on Monday, and he will reportedly board his family’s slow, luxurious, high-security train.
Kim used a train to travel to Russia when the two leaders met in 2019, which was the North Korean dictator’s last trip abroad. He also used it that same year to travel to Vietnam to meet with President Donald Trump.
Apart from abroad, armored trains are his favorite mode of transport when traveling in North Korea and have provided important clues in the past about the reclusive leader’s location.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicting reports emerged regarding Kim’s health after he disappeared from public view for months, with rumors suggesting that he had died or was seriously ill.
But it became clear that he was simply hiding out at one of his luxury resorts during the coronavirus pandemic after satellite imagery captured an armored train parked in the coastal city of Wonsan.
Not much is known about the Kim family car, a 21-car khaki-green car with a distinctive yellow line across it.
But previous reports and footage suggest the car was filled with imported French wine and luxurious leather seats. Photos from North Korean state media also provide a rare glimpse inside the unusual vehicle.
Here are 8 facts about Kim Jong Un’s luxurious armored train.
1. Used to travel to Russia in 2019
Photo/Reuters
In 2019, Kim took a train on the same trip he made this week to meet Putin in Vladivostok.
That year, Kim’s nuclear weapons were high on the agenda. This year, Putin will likely seek an arms deal.
2. Mode of Transportation during the Pandemic
Photo/Reuters