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Unlike other heads of state, Kim Jong-un chooses the train instead of the plane: it is the safer option.
On September 10, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un began his 20-hour journey to Vladivostok. In Russia he met Russian President Putin for talks about arms aid. Kim traveled on a bulletproof train.
Legend:
Kim Jong-un waved goodbye in the capital Pyongyang. The journey to Vladivostok in neighboring Russia took 20 hours.
Reuters
This is why Kim travels by train: According to experts, the North Korean dictator travels by train for practical reasons. There he can continue to govern the country, receive faxes and emails and hold meetings. Compared to the country’s air fleet, the train is a slower but safer and more comfortable alternative. According to insiders, Kim also decided to take the train for safety reasons. Kim’s private plane, the “Chammae-1”, a Soviet-era Ilyushin Il-62, is too old and in poor condition. The aircraft is no longer in production and spare parts are difficult to come by.
Equipment of the train: “The Moving Fortress”, as the train is also called, is generously equipped: with a bedroom, meeting rooms, reception room, dining room and bathroom, so that Kim feels at home. Apparently several identical models were manufactured in the capital Pyongyang. The train is equipped with bulletproof windows and reinforced walls and floors to protect against explosives. Weapons and a helicopter for escape in an emergency are also part of the equipment.
Legend:
According to estimates, “The Moving Fortress” train travels at 40 to 60 kilometers per hour. The journey to Vladivostok took almost a day: Pyongyang is around 360 kilometers from Vladivostok.
Reuters
Previous trips: Kim generally takes long journeys by train. In 2018, Kim Jong-un chose a different means of transport to meet Donald Trump in Singapore: the plane. Instead of traveling on one of his private planes, he traveled from China on a Boeing 747. Apparently Kim chose the Air China plane because it was safer.
Continuing the family tradition: Kim Jong-un’s father and grandfather were already traveling by train. His father, Kim Jong-Il, who reportedly suffered from a fear of flying, traveled to Russia exclusively by train. The three-week train trip to Moscow in 2001 was his longest journey, covering 20,000 kilometers. Kim Il-sung, founder and first dictator of North Korea, also chose the train for his trips abroad.
