The train—which is heavily armored due to threat of attack—averages only about 60 kilometers per hour. Third, it grants Kim Jong Un a safe means of transportation while abroad. Perhaps the most celebrated of such trips was taken in February of 2023 to Russia. The train first gained international attention during a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in 2018, highlighting its importance in diplomatic relations.
Besides its role in state trade and industry, the train serves as a form of domestic propaganda. Official media frequently showcase Kim Jong Un on long journeys to visit ordinary North Koreans, reinforcing his image as a leader who connects with his citizens. Up close, the engine and cars are in immaculate condition, the train is now proudly displayed in a mausoleum outside Pyongyang. Here, a life-sized model demonstrates its significance in North Korean culture.
This mode of transport does have a long tradition, based on Kim Jong Il’s tastes. He had a fear of flying that likely played a role in this transportation decision. He used the train extensively for travel within the country and to European capitals abroad. To move this vision forward, he constructed a few dozen stations exclusively for the family train. Kim Jong Il was a man of conspicuous consumption, in part evidenced by the ritualistic nature of his armored great train aesthetic. These trips featured lavished culinary delights from live lobster and pork barbecue to Bordeaux and Beaujolais wines, all flown in express from Paris.
Kim Jong Un has continued this tradition, using the train for various trips abroad while maintaining its role as a symbol of power within North Korea. No surprise, then, that the train has carried Kim Jong Un and his numerous high-ranking officials. Such a move further entrenches its position as a key asset to leverage with North Korean leadership.
