38 North: "Train Presumed to Be Kim Jong Un's Exclusive Train Has Been Stationed at Wonsan Station in North Korea Since the 21st"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] A train presumed to be the exclusive train of North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un has been parked at a train station in Wonsan, North Korea, since the 21st Korean time, according to a report on the 25th (local time) by 38 North, a U.S.-based North Korea specialist media, citing commercial satellite images.

38 North reported that although the 250-meter-long train is partially obscured by the station roof, it can be seen standing at the station in preparation for use by Kim’s family. It is parked at a station located near Kim’s Wonsan resort facility. The train was not visible in satellite images taken on the 15th but was observed in photos taken on the 21st and 23rd, 38 North said.

38 North stated, "The presence of the train does not prove the whereabouts of the North Korean leader or suggest anything about his health," but added, "It lends weight to the idea that Kim is staying in an elite area on North Korea’s east coast." This is interpreted as further supporting reports that Kim has been staying in the Wonsan area after presiding over a Workers' Party Political Bureau meeting amid rumors about his health.

38 North also said, "The train arrived here before the 21st and appeared to have adjusted its position on the 23rd as if preparing to depart," but "there were no clues as to when it would leave."

The Wonsan resort facility includes nine guesthouses and one recreation center, with a large building constructed after Kim took office at its center. There is also a harbor, a shooting range, and a small covered pier presumed to be for large yacht docking. Near the railway station, there was a small runway for light aircraft use, but it was converted into a track for Kim’s hobby of horseback riding in the second half of last year.

38 North said, "Kim’s last public appearance was inspecting the air force at an airport in western North Korea," and "photos and satellite images suggest that location was Suncheon Airfield, about 50 km northeast of Pyongyang."

Kim Jong-un has not appeared publicly since presiding over a Workers' Party Political Bureau meeting held in Pyongyang on the 11th. He also did not appear during North Korea’s largest holiday, Kim Il-sung’s birthday (April 15, the Day of the Sun), fueling ongoing speculation about his health.

CNN reported on the 20th that the U.S. government is monitoring information that Kim is in serious danger following surgery. However, the South Korean government drew a line by stating, "There are no unusual developments," and U.S. President Donald Trump also commented on the 23rd, "I heard they (CNN) wrote about old documents. That report is inaccurate," he said.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.