While North Korean Residents Suffer from Flood Damage, Kim Jong-un Imports 24 Russian Horses

Primorsky Agricultural and Livestock Supervision Agency Imports Orlov Breed Horses
Speculation Arises That They Will Be Used by Cavalry Units

North Korea has imported another 20 or so Russian horses known as 'Kim Jong-un's favorite horses.' On the 27th (local time), the US-based Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported that the Primorsky Krai Agricultural and Livestock Supervision Agency of Russia sent 24 Orlov Trotter horses to North Korea on the 25th, according to a press release. This marks about 1 year and 9 months since North Korea last imported 51 Russian horses around November 2022. According to the press release, the Russian Agricultural and Livestock Supervision Agency transported 19 stallions and 5 mares from the Vladimir region after quarantine, loaded them onto two specially equipped transport vehicles, passed through the Hasan railway checkpoint, and delivered them to North Korea. The Primorsky Krai Agricultural and Livestock Supervision Agency explained that these horses were implanted with radio identification devices.

North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un rode a white horse to Baekdu Mountain, according to a report by Korean Central Television on October 16, 2019. The photo released by KCTV on that day shows Chairman Kim Jong-un riding a horse alongside Kim Yo-jong (left) and Jo Yong-won (right), First Deputy Directors of the Workers' Party.
[Photo by Korean Central News Agency]

The imported Orlov Trotter breed is known for its elegant appearance, purebred lineage, and strong endurance, making it a favored steed of the Kim family. In late 2019, a photo of Chairman Kim Jong-un riding an Orlov Trotter up Mount Paektu was released, earning the horse the nickname 'Kim Jong-un's favorite horse.' In the military parade commemorating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Army in February last year, a white horse ridden by Kim’s daughter Ju-ae also appeared.

The price of this breed varies greatly depending on age, health, and pedigree, with online prices ranging from a minimum of $1,000 (about 1.33 million KRW) to over $150,000 (about 200 million KRW). Some speculate that North Korea will use the imported horses for horseback riding or cavalry units. Lee Hyun-seung, a researcher at the Global Peace Foundation and a defector from North Korea, said, "Due to a lack of management technology and personnel, horses often die in North Korea, so they likely imported these horses now." He added, "North Korea has created places like the Mirim Riding Club, claiming to give residents horseback riding experience, but the environment does not allow them to enjoy it." He also said, "Since news about horse imports is not disclosed at all in North Korea, residents probably do not even know that the authorities purchased expensive horses amid food shortages and flood damage."

The media also reported that North Korea recently imported 447 goats, indicating that livestock trade between North Korea and Russia is becoming active again. Among this, the United Nations (UN) Security Council’s sanctions resolutions prohibit the export of luxury goods to North Korea, raising the possibility that the expensive horses imported by North Korea could be classified as luxury items.