An 80-metre luxury vessel was observed off the coast of Wonsan, North Korea, between July and mid-October 2026. The ship features a 50-metre swimming pool and a cluster of waterslides.
In early July 2026, the vessel moved to the Kalma Peninsula. This location sits near a seaside resort and villa used by Kim Jong Un and his family.
Observers widely believe these vessels are used by Kim Jong Un and his family. Ri Jong Ho said, "In winter, they would keep them at the shipyard. When summer came, they would bring them out and move them to Kim Jong Un's villa or towards Kalma, and use them for swimming and recreation."
The BBC tracked four large vessels around Wonsan measuring approximately 50m, 55m, 60m and 80m. The 50m and 55m vessels remained visible around Tae and Sin islands until the end of August 2026.
A 60m vessel was spotted near Kim's Wonsan villa until last week. A large vessel with distinctive characteristics was also in Wonsan in 2002.
The Wonsan Kalma resort opened in July 2025. Kim Jong Un's 29-metre Princess yacht is estimated to be worth about $7m.
A 2025 United Nations report states 40% of the North Korean population is undernourished. The United Nations reported that North Korea's per capita GDP was around $667 in 2024.
