Kim Jong Un Goes on a Train‑Tastic Trip: The First Foreign Trek of the North Man
When the Latest Scoop hit the Seoul press (back in March 2018), the headline that popped up was simple: Kim Jong Un, North Korea’s new czar, takes an armored train to China. It wasn’t just a trip; it was a headline‑making adventure that remembered the old-school “train‑to‑Beijing” ritual the Kim dynasty has long adored.
Why Trains? Because Who Needs Air Travel?
Our granddad, Kim Il Sung, and his dad, Kim Jong Il, both declared aviation a no‑go zone. Instead, they preferred the iron roads that rolled them across borders, protected by armored carriages that could practically withstand a nuclear blast. 2011, they rolled out a six‑thousand‑kilometre railway safari that hit Beijing, Nanjing, and Shanghai. 2015, the Kremlin had plans for a ceremony, only to cancel it on a “health” fear’s sudden spree.
Kim Jong Un: A Rough‑Road Birthday Party
- Studied in Switzerland (1990s) at the International School of Berne, with sibling support.
- Spotted hopping off to Germany and France during that “Class‑A” stint.
- Own twins, Jong Chol & Jong Nam, have had wild escapades:
- Jong Chol: Adventuring into Tokyo Disneyland in 1991 with forged passports!
- Jong Nam: Attempted a Don‑Globe tour (2001) with a Dominican pass, got stuck at Japanese customs.
Despite the last big train ride, it appears that, for the first time since taking the throne, Kim the Third is pulling the covers and stepping onto foreign rails.
Flights? Not Part of the Plan?
Kim Jong Il famously had a Phobia of Flight. That gave him a “no airplanes” charm that made China and Russia the only far‑away destinations. The same mode a Welded, Rocket‑Fortified train for our new Bobby – who understood the rebels afore the plane’s hermetic design.
The Long‑Okay Train
- 2011 – Us: 6,000‑km royal journey to Beijing, Nanjing, Shanghai.
- 2000 – Pre‑Korean Summit: Off to Moscow.
- 2011 – Meetings with President Dmitry Medvedev in Ulan‑Ude.
In the neighborhoods of Bureya’s rail station, people were told to play devour…to learn table reading, because the armored train shone like a flying saucer into the town’s view.
Kim Il Sung – Catapulting in a Counter‑Strategy
He was the main galloping drill conductor. The father who openly crossed the border 1949 to keep a secret conversation with \’ Stalin, pushed the Korean play to a full-bodied football match – the Korean War – which pulled in US‑led forces opposing Pyongyang.
Shuttle Secrets Spoiled by Mans
- 1961: Kim Il Sung and Khrushchev signed a mutual defense pact.
- 1965: Spotted at the Asian & African conference in Bandung, Indonesia, with his son Kim Jong Il.
- 1990: Swooped to China, collaborating secretly to adjust relations to South Korea & the Soviet Union.
- 1984: Traveled through Eastern European dwarfs – nested in Poland, East Germany, and more.
All of these carriages – both from the father and his husband Kim Jong Il – are on display in the Kumsusan mausoleum where the family’s Macintosh computer and comfort is a reality.
