North Korean leader boards armoured green train for China visit

Pyongyang [North Korea], September 2 : North Korean leader Kim Jong Un packed his delegation in his armoured green train as China rolled out its carpets for him, CNN reported.

The old-fashioned green train has become a symbol of Kim's dynasty and his nation. It has also long been the subject of intrigue, carrying generations of the Kim family across the country and on rare international trips, as per CNN.

North Korean state media Rodong Sinmun confirmed early on Tuesday that Kim's train had crossed the border into China, with photos of the leader smiling on board the train, sitting at a wooden table with a North Korean flag behind him. He's accompanied by senior officials including Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, according to the country's foreign ministry.

In one instance in 2002, Russian state media showed images of the train - green with yellow striping - when Kim Jong Il visited Russia during a brief period of relaxed sanctions that allowed greater engagement with the outside world, as per CNN.

Both Kim's father and grandfather reportedly hosted lavish dinners abroad. One account published in 2002 by Russian official Konstantin Pulikovsky claimed that the train carried cases of Bordeaux and Beaujolais wine from Paris, and that passengers feasted on live lobster and pork barbecue.

The train is also famously slow-moving and tight on security. Due to being heavily armored, it travels at an average speed of 60 kilometers an hour, according to a 2009 report in South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo.

Kim has used this train on several trips abroad, though he has also previously traveled by plane and private jet.

Kim rode the train during his last international visit - a 2023 trip to Russia's far east to meet with his counterpart Vladimir Putin. Photos released by state media at the time offered a glimpse into the locomotive, showing polished wooden floors and an ornately decorated white doorway.

The world knows less about North Korea, but as per the CNN report, reports indicate severe impoverishment and malnourishment throughout much of the country.

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