A slimmed-down Kim Jong Un may have been relaxing on his remodeled yacht, complete with twin waterslides and an Olympic-sized pool — as North Koreans grapple with famine and a prolonged COVID-19 lockdown.
The leader, who reportedly has shed up to 44 pounds, was believed to be at his mansion in Wonsan, where his “floating amusement park” was spotted on the private beach, NK News reported.
The 260-foot-long vessel, which also features a multistory lounge, was confirmed to be docked at the site on Monday for the first time since 2019, according to the news outlet, which cited imagery from Planet Labs.
The activity in and around Wonsan took place on days Kim did not make public appearances, suggesting that he has been chilling out or possibly recuperating from an ailment in recent days, NK News said.
While it’s possible Kim was present, a day after he reportedly met with his favorite band in Pyongyang, the activities also could have involved his children, close relatives or trusted associates using the boat and mansion, the outlet noted.
In addition, a smaller boat was docked at a private beach at Kim’s Hodo Peninsula palace located about 10 miles up the coast from the main Wonsan compound on July 6 and 7, according to NK News.
The waterslide pleasure craft recently underwent major repairs and a remodeling job that included that expansion of the the multistory lounge.
The vessel also appeared on May 24 when it was towed from its private parking spot in the Wonsan bay toward Kim’s main Wonsan mansion, but there was insufficient imagery to determine its final destination, according to the report.
Recent images of the famously reclusive and rotund leader, who previously weighed 308 pounds, appeared to show that the 37-year-old has lost a large chunk of weight, sparking renewed speculation about his health.
Kim’s health is the focus of considerable global attention as he hasn’t publicly anointed a successor who could take charge of the Hermit Kingdom’s advancing nuclear arsenal targeting the US and its allies if he is incapacitated.