Kim Jong Un’s personal train seen in South Hamgyong Province before the summit

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Korean on September 18.

The train Kim Jong Un took to Beijing to meet President Xi Jinping in March 2018. Image: Yonhap News

Kim Jong Un’s personal train was seen heading to Pyongyang in South Hamgyong Province on September 16, two days before the inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang, sources reported.

According to a source in South Hamgyong Province, security officials and local police were seen in large numbers at all train stations in the eastern coastal region of South Hamgyong Province on September 16. Security was raised in the areas, creating an atmosphere of tension among locals.

The special train was seen by the source and all other trains were halted. The roads leading to the train station were blocked by security forces and ordinary people were not permitted entry.

“As the special train appeared, many people wondered why Kim Jong Un was in the area given how busy he’d been preparing for the inter-Korean summit,” said a separate source in South Hamgyong Province, adding that people suspected the special train was moving around to transport supplies for the summit.

There are numerous cooperative enterprises and factories that produce goods for the North Korean leader in South Hamgyong Province. The Number 9 Marine Products Team, which supplies marine products to Kim and other high-level officials each month, is located in the province’s large marine products complex.

There are also several famous areas in the region where pine mushrooms are grown, including Sinsan, Jongpyong, San Chang, and Kimya County. The pine mushroom harvesting season is currently underway, and a lot of these mushrooms are sent to Pyongyang. Pine mushrooms picked in Chilbosan in North Hamgyong Province are considered the best. There is a possibility that the train departed from North Hamgyong Province and stopped over in South Hamgyong Province to load more mushrooms to take to Pyongyang.

Daily NK reported on September 13 that the authorities are sending large amounts of pine mushrooms picked in both Hamgyong provinces, reportedly to use as gifts for President Moon and his entourage.

The special train is also used by the North Korean leader to visit China and conduct on-the-spot visits. If the train was used to transport gifts and other supplies for the inter-Korean summit, it may be a sign that Kim is treating the South Korean president with a high level of respect.