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Kim Jong Un’s armored train has once again attracted attention after carrying the North Korean leader on a rare trip to Beijing. This visit, his first since January 2019, will see him meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
### Why It Matters
By taking this custom-built train, Kim projects power and prestige. The journey stands in stark contrast to the living conditions of many North Koreans, where nearly half the population was estimated to be malnourished between 2020 and 2022 according to United Nations figures.
On his visit, Kim is expected to attend a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. He will join the heads of state from North Korea’s two most important allies.
### What To Know
The train crossed into China at dawn on Tuesday, as reported by North Korea’s state-run newspaper, Rodong Sinmun. “Leading officials” of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea and the North Korean government were also aboard.
South Korean media cited Seoul’s National Intelligence Service as suggesting that Kim’s wife, Ri Sol-ju, and his sister, Kim Yo Jong, may be traveling with him.
The bulletproof train, known as Taeyang-ho or “Sun Train,” is a continuation of the Kim dynasty tradition of ruling from the rails. It began with North Korea’s founder, Kim Il Sung, who traveled by rail to fellow communist countries like Vietnam and members of the former Soviet bloc.
### Details
– **Departure**: The train departed Beijing Railway Station on January 9, 2019.
– **Security Measures**: The train is reportedly equipped with bulletproof windows, reinforced flooring, blast-resistant walls, and onboard anti-aircraft weapons. It includes radar-guided guns, surface-to-air missile launchers, and even a helicopter as an emergency escape option.
– **Speed**: Traveling at a maximum of 35 miles per hour, the train covers approximately 800 miles to Beijing in about 20 hours.
Kim has used this olive-green train for most of his seven foreign visits, including his recent trip to Russia’s Far East in 2023.
### What Happens Next
This visit marks the first multilateral appearance and the first time that Chinese, Russian, and North Korean leaders will gather in one place.
“Kim’s presence and Putin’s in Beijing formalize the China-Russia-North Korea trilateral relationship to the public,” Soo Kim, a geopolitical risk consultant and former CIA analyst, told Agence France-Presse.
By taking this train, Kim further solidifies his power and influence on the global stage, despite the stark disparity between his luxurious journey and the struggles of North Koreans.
