Satellite images track luxury vessel off North Korea’s Wonsan coast

Satellite images show an 80-metre luxury vessel with a 50-metre pool and waterslides off North Korea’s Wonsan coast from July to mid-October. Its movements, along with those of several other vessels, suggest the area may be used for recreation by Kim Jong Un and his family, highlighting the contrast between the leadership’s apparent wealth and the hardship facing much of the population.

The boat moved from a maintenance facility to waters near the Kalma Peninsula, close to a villa used by Kim’s family; its location cannot prove who was there. A former North Korean official said such vessels were brought out in summer for swimming and recreation, while comparable yachts can cost tens of millions of dollars or more than $100 million. The resort at Wonsan Kalma opened in July 2025, but holidays remain beyond the reach of most North Koreans: the UN estimated 40% of the population was undernourished, and per capita GDP was about $667 in 2024.