Satellite imagery analyzed by the British broadcaster BBC reveals that an 80-meter superyacht featuring a 50-meter swimming pool and multiple waterslides has spent months shuttling near North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s Wonsan villa, highlighting lavish coastal leisure amid severe national food shortages.
Satellite Tracking Reveals Fleet of Large Vessels Near Wonsan
A luxury vessel longer than a basketball court became a fixture off North Korea’s Kalma Peninsula between July and mid-October, according to reports. The 260-foot ship repeatedly moved between a shipyard and the coastal waters near the Wonsan villa where Kim and his family stay. Civilian satellite companies Planet Labs and Vantor captured the 80-meter vessel docked at a Wonsan ship maintenance facility from October last year until June before it emerged near the Galma Peninsula in early July.
Alongside the flagship vessel, analysis uncovered three additional large boats ranging between 50 and 60 meters in length operating in the same area. Satellite imagery tracked four sizable vessels making repeated appearances near the coastal residence throughout the year. The 80-meter ship’s deck boasts a swimming pool stretching half its length alongside several water slides, placing most large recreational facilities right on the water.
Contrasting Elite Leisure with Nationwide Hardship
These maritime vessels highlight a stark divide in a nation where roughly 40% of the population remains undernourished, as documented in a 2025 United Nations report. While defectors and experts emphasize that vessels of this scale are strictly off-limits to anyone outside the ruling class, ordinary North Korean workers struggle to utilize the vacation days they are officially entitled to on paper. Luxury yachts of this magnitude typically command price tags ranging from tens of millions to over $100 million, contrasting sharply with persistent food insecurity and forced labor conditions across the country.
Lee Jeong-ho, a former official at a Party Office No. 39-affiliated institution managing Kim Jong-un’s foreign currency and now heading the Korea Prosperity Development Center, told the BBC that large vessels historically dock at maintenance facilities during winter months before moving to Kim’s villa or the Galma Peninsula during summer. Previous maritime sightings include a smaller 29-meter Princess yacht valued at roughly $7 million that Kim reportedly used during Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s visit in July 2025.
| Vessel Length | Key Features & Location | Timeline of Movement |
|---|---|---|
| 80 Meters | 50-meter four-lane swimming pool, multiple slides; near Wonsan villa and Galma Peninsula | Docked Oct–June at maintenance facility; active July to mid-October |
| 50 to 60 Meters | Three additional large leisure and support boats; Wonsan coastal zone and nearby islands | Detected repeatedly from late July through August and autumn |
| 29 Meters | Princess yacht utilized during diplomatic visits | Observed during Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s visit in July 2025 |
Enduring Unanswered Questions Surrounding Ownership
Despite clear visual confirmation from space, the exact ownership and daily operational use of these vessels remain unconfirmed by independent observers. It has not been officially confirmed who owns the ships or who actually used them, even as regional experts link the coastal recreational facilities directly to the top leadership’s private estates in Gangwon Province. Official North Korean state media rarely portrays these movements as personal leisure, instead framing the leader’s travels and appearances strictly within the bounds of his state leadership duties.
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