Allegra Mendelson
Dictators and luxury yachts often go hand in hand. But in North Korea, it is practically unheard of for the supreme leader to sun himself on a luxury vessel.
But since July this year, not one but four large vessels have been seen in and around Wonsan, a coastal city known to host private villas for the country’s elite, including Kim Jong-un.
Despite the supreme leader’s carefully curated image of restraint and austerity, the extravagant vessels are widely believed to be used by Kim and his family during their seaside holidays.
Newly released satellite pictures show the largest of the four vessels, at 80 metres long, cuts a perfect floating rectangle, with most of its upper deck occupied by a four-lane Olympic-size swimming pool and four turquoise water slides.
The BBC estimated that the largest vessel would probably be valued at close to £75 million ($143 million), when compared with other similar ships on the market.
For months, the boat seemed to be under repair at a maintenance facility, but between July and October, it was back on the water and seen off the coast of the Kalma Peninsula, south of Wonsan.
Once a missile-testing site, Wonsan now hosts hotels, including a large beach resort which opened in 2025, restaurants and shops and, since July, a new railway station. The town is reportedly capable of hosting 20,000 visitors.
With North Korea closed off to most tourists since the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems Wonsan has seen only small numbers of Russian tourists and the occasional domestic visitor.
Kim is believed to have spent much of his childhood with his mother visiting a family villa in Wonsan. When Dennis Rodman visited North Korea in 2013, he was seen having a drink on a beach in Wonsan with Kim.
Three other large vessels, believed to belong to Kim and his family, and a handful of small vessels were also seen moving around the waters near Wonsan recently, according to satellite analysis by the BBC.
Along with the luxury 80-metre vessel, the other vessels measured 50, 55 and 60 metres.
All four vessels were previously seen in 2020 when Kim built a new villa complex north-east of Wonsan in the Hodo peninsula.
Experts say that the smaller boats are probably used to ferry people and supplies to and from, as well as between, the larger vessels.
Kim has another yacht valued at £5.25 million ($10 million) and manufactured by British-owned Princess Yachts.
He is believed to have the 95MY model, which has an “expansive flybridge deck, generous staterooms and full-width saloon and dining area which can accommodate up to 10 people in elegant style”, according to Princess Yachts.
The yacht was seen in 2025 when Kim met Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister. Princess Yachts is owned by LVMH, which also controls Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior.
There are very few people inside North Korea who could have access to these types of boats. While Kim and his advisers live in luxury, most of those in the country earn very little and live tightly controlled lives.
According to a 2025 UN report, there are regular food shortages in the country and 40 per cent of the population lives undernourished.
The 80-metre pool boat seems to be an upgrade of a vessel in use during the reign of Kim’s father, Kim Jong Il, according to satellite image analysis by the BBC.
UK Telegraph