Tennis shoes sported by North Korea’s
leader Kim Jong Un during his ‘field guidance’ to Rason, where recovery work is
underway after the city was pummeled by a massive flood, are reportedly from a
factory in Sinuiju. The image of the leader wearing the shoes was published
through Pyongyang’s Party-run Rodong Sinmun and is said to be aimed at boosting
his image as a ‘loving leader’ for his people, Daily NK has learned.
“The image of the General (Kim Jong Un)
wearing those shoes that not even cadre were wearing at the recovery site was
broadcast across the nation. Most people ended up staring at the shoes instead
of other footage,” a source in North Pyongan Province told Daily NK on
Wednesday. “Those sneakers are from the No. 9 unit Sinuiju shoe factory.”
An additional source in the same province
corroborated this information.
 In a photo released by Rodong Sinmun on September 18, Kim Jong Un, sporting kicks from Sinuiju Shoe Factory No.9, appears in Rason at a site for flood recovery efforts. Image: Rodong Sinmun |
 High-quality tennis shoes (right) and flats (left) sold at markets across North Korea and obtained by Daily NK. The tennis shoes are modeled after those worn by Kim Jong Un. Image: Daily NK |
“Sneakers like that are worn by average
people on a daily basis, but the ones produced from Sinuiju are known for
having better quality and style,” the source explained. “The factory is located
in a neighborhood called Chinson-dong and along with the one in Pyongyang is the most well-known shoe factory in the country.”
The factory, which has existed since the
Kim Il Sung era with the express purpose of producing footwear for the upper echelons of North Korean
society, has two units: No. 8 and No. 9. The No. 9 unit produces goods for the
leader and the Kim family while the No. 8 unit is tasked with producing
sneakers for Central Party cadres and high-ranking officials, according to the
source.
“Securing a job at the no. 9 unit is
contingent on verification of favorable songbun [family political background
and loyalty] and expertise. Taking into consideration the General’s foot health, they
use the best cushioning material–made from imported rubber and fabric– to manufacture the
shoes,” the source explained, adding that the 50 workers employed at unit no. 9
receive significantly better treatment compared to the average enterprise
laborer.
‘Sinuiju shoes’ are a hit at the markets as
well, he said. Tennis shoes made with mixed fabrics that come in blue are
called ‘daebali’ (big foot), while black sneakers that are made with a
polyester fiber ‘tetoron’ are called ‘sobali’ (small foot), he said.
Blue ‘daebali’ fetch roughly 23,000 KPW (2.78 USD) at
markets in North and South Pyongan Provinces, while ‘sobali’ go for around
18,000 KPW (2.18 USD). The shoes donned by Kim Jong Un in the photo were of the ‘daebali’ variant from unit no. 9; though unavailable to the masses, an array of lookalike goods are available to the average consumer, he said.
Kim Tae Myeong, a North Korean defector who
once worked at the Sinuiju factory, said, “Sinuiju sneakers’ are distributed
nationwide, but in North Hamgyong Province they are pricey and at one point the
cost got up to 35,000 KPW (4.24 USD).” Kim added that although products from unit no. 8
and 9 are not available at the market, they can be bought if you have ties with
factory management for a few times more the original price.
“The Sinuiju sneakers that Kim Jong Un was
wearing may look similar to regular ones worn by the public but the quality is
different,” Kim said. “He probably wore those shoes and embarked on a trip to
the provincial areas to promote his ‘love for the public,” he speculated.
*The content of this article was broadcast
to the North Korean people via Unification Media Group.
