"Kim Jong-un Family Appears to Be on Summer Vacation"
Three Luxury Yachts Sailing
The area around Sinuiju in North Korea has been hit by unprecedented flooding, while it has been confirmed that Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission, continues to operate his yacht.
Residents of flood-affected areas in North Pyongan Province and other parts of North Korea arrived in Pyongyang on the 15th and were admitted to accommodations, the Korean Central News Agency reported on the 16th. The agency stated that North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un welcomed the flood victims at his residence. [Image source=Yonhap News]
The U.S. Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported on the 21st (local time) that the activities of Chairman Kim, his wife Ri Sol-ju, and daughter Kim Ju-ae have become scarce, suggesting that the Kim family is spending their summer vacation. Additionally, commercial U.S. satellite 'Planet Labs' captured images of Chairman Kim's luxury yacht in satellite photos taken from late June to mid-August.
In particular, on the 18th, his luxury cruise ship was confirmed to be sailing near the Galma Peninsula. Besides this, three other vessels were found near Daedo, Sindo, and the Wonsan villa area. Of the four luxury yachts owned by Chairman Kim, three are currently at sea.
These yachts were introduced to North Korea during the 1990s under Kim Jong-il, Chairman of the National Defense Commission, and are known to have been primarily used by the Kim family.
Meanwhile, last month, the Yalu River area experienced flooding due to the heaviest rainfall in 60 years, isolating thousands of residents in Sinuiju. At that time, Chairman Kim reportedly reprimanded those responsible for the flood damage and carried out personnel changes akin to dismissals. North Korea, fearing public discontent, detained over 10,000 flood victims in temporary shelters in Pyongyang and repeatedly broadcast scenes of Chairman Kim visiting the area.
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