Once cited as indicative of the North Korean leader’s fondness for flight, recent satellite imagery reveals that two exclusive runways built near private mansions a few years into Kim Jong Un’s rule were suddenly torn down in late September last year and replaced with new horse-riding tracks, NK Pro has found.

The timing of their rapid construction inside just over a month is notable, coming just before the year’s second high-profile visit by Kim and other top leadership figures to the “sacred” Mt. Paektu — visits which resulted in extensive state media reporting and a