North Korea is one of the poorest countries in the world, but its dictator Kim Jong Un lives an ultra-luxurious lifestyle, which includes a bulletproof train and yachts: A look at his fortunes

There is a deep economic divide in North Korea. While the country's powerful elite enjoy an ultra-luxurious lifestyle, complete with palaces and yachts, a large chunk of the population lives in extreme poverty with barely enough to feed themselves. The 42-year-old dictator Kim Jong Un lives a life most people in the Asian country can only dream of, with a family fortune running in billions of dollars. Here's taking a deeper look into Jong Un's riches.

A heavily-armored bulletproof train

One of the most well-known symbols of Jong Un's power and wealth is his heavily-armored bulletproof train. The train has around 90 carriages, and features bedrooms, conference rooms, audience chambers, satellite phones, and flat-screen televisions, according to a report by the South Korean daily Chosun Ilbo.

The train also offers a range of international wines and fresh delicacies from multiple cuisines. The train has been christened "Taeyangho," the Korean word for the sun.

Airplanes and luxury cars

Though the armored train remains his preferred mode of transport, Jong Un has also made a number of known trips by air. In 2018, he made his first international flight since assuming power on a Soviet-made long-range aircraft, the Ilyushin-62. That aircraft is called "Chammae-1", named after the goshawk, which is North Korea's national bird.

He has also been seen using a Ukrainian Antonov-148 (AN-148) in a documentary aired by the state-owned Korean Central Television.

Kim Jong Un also seems to be fond of high-end cars. In 2018, he traveled to Beijing via train, but took along his personal Mercedes-Benz S-Class for travel within the Chinese capital. The 2010-manufactured car cost roughly 2 billion Korean won ($1.8m), according to the South Korean daily JoongAng Ilbo.

A collection of superluxury yachts

Kim Jong Un is also believed to own a number of superluxury yachts. Several top-end vessels have been spotted off the coast of Wonsan, where the North Korean leader maintains a summer retreat, according to a BBC report, which added that luxury yachts of similar sizes can cost around $100 million.

The yachts are likely used almost exclusively by Jong Un and his family, the BBC reported citing former North Korean officials.

Kim Jong Un's life of excesses stands in stark contrast to the impoverished lives of ordinary North Koreans, many of whom struggle to put one meal a day on the table. A 2025 report by the United Nations (UN) said an estimated 40 percent of the country's population was undernourished.