North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s custom megayachts were in use off the coast of Wonsan multiple days last week, satellite imagery shows, raising questions over activities of the country’s elite amid a COVID-19 outbreak and national lockdown.

The yacht movements coincided with a one-week break from public appearances, Kim’s longest since announcing the outbreak on May 12. State media has since described the outbreak as a national “health crisis” and the country’s “worst upheaval ever,” as authorities have prevented citizens from traveling between districts and some from leaving their homes.

It is unclear who used the yachts on the days in question, but it could have been the DPRK leader himself, his family or close associates. Alternatively, the movements could have been part of efforts to deceive foreign intelligence on Kim’s whereabouts. 

The activity began on May 17, when Planet Labs imagery appeared to show a small boat drive near Kim’s custom red-roofed, 55-meter (180-foot) megayacht and blue-roofed, 50-meter (165-foot) megayacht anchored off Tae Island, near the Kalma Peninsula. Both yachts were towed to the island from Kim’s private marina in central Wonsan in the second half of April, according to the imagery.

Another image taken on May 24 captured the red-roofed yacht being towed from Tae Island to a repair dock at the Wonsan marina, where it remained as of the latest available imagery taken on May 27. It previously appeared at the same repair dock in Dec. 2021.

Its blue-roofed cousin, fresh from repairs or upgrades at the same dock between April 20 and 24, seems to have had guests on the morning of May 27: A small white boat appeared attached to the megayacht at 10:53 a.m. KST that day, before creating a large wake while moving away from it 13 minutes later. There was insufficient imagery to determine its destination.

The size and appearance of the wake is similar to that from boats previously seen around Tae Island and Kim’s main beach mansion compound in Wonsan, but higher-resolution imagery is needed to determine the exact type of boat. 

These images taken minutes apart on May 27 appear to show a small boat attached to and driving away from one of Kim Jong Un’s megayachts | Images: Planet Labs PBH, edited by NK Pro

It is possible that Kim Jong Un traveled to his Wonsan retreat and enjoyed his megayachts on the days detailed above, as state media has not reported on his activities for days that saw boat movements except for May 17, when he reportedly convened a politburo meeting late that evening.

North Korean media reported Kim attended a funeral in Pyongyang on the afternoon of May 22, and his next public appearance was at a politburo meeting early on May 29. However, it is likely that Kim also attended a series of missile launches from the Pyongyang International Airport on the morning of May 25, though state media was silent on this event. 

The Wonsan megayacht activity comes after the blue-roofed vessel and other larger ones appeared directly in front of Kim Jong Un’s private beach in February and March, and on numerous other occasions in recent years. 

It also comes as construction continued in recent weeks on a new potential mansion for the North Korean leader in Pyongyang despite the COVID-19 lockdown.

Edited by Bryan Betts