North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has used his signature green armored train once again for a foreign visit to China’s victory parade. The slow-speed, heavily armored locomotive is not just a vehicle, but a symbol of the Kim dynasty, a mobile command center, and an affirmation of the North Korean leadership’s bespoke approach to security and comfort.
A Fortress And Office On Wheels
The green train with golden crests is a behemoth of multiple cars. It has been reported to have a bedroom, a large office, a restaurant, and a communications equipment carriage. Images released by state media depict Kim in a wood-grained office, with telephones surrounding him, and a gold-plated laptop. The train even has carriages for two armoured Mercedes cars, says South Korean transport analyst Ahn Byung-min.
The main function of the train is security. So well armoured that it is referred to as a “moving fortress,” it moves at an average speed of just 60 kph (37 mph). Its bullet-resistant windows and bulletproof walls are meant to be able to defend against attacks. When traveling abroad, the wheels of the train are rearranged at the Russian border because of varying rail gauges, and a Chinese locomotive engines it once it is inside China.
Footage of Kim Jong Un arriving in China via his personal armored train.
For the first time, he is accompanied by his daughter, Kim Ju Ae — a historic moment! pic.twitter.com/9qCSMcZfSW
— RussiaNews (@mog_russEN) September 2, 2025
A Legacy Of Rail-Bound Diplomacy
The practice of employing armored trains for international travel started with the founding father of North Korea, Kim Il Sung, and continued with his son, Kim Jong Il. Kim Jong Il, who was known to have a fear of flying, took the train for all his overseas trips, including a 20,000 km-long trip to Moscow in 2001. A Russian official, Konstantin Pulikovsky, famously wrote about the sumptuous supplies aboard, which included live lobsters and French wine. Kim Jong Il’s train is now exhibited at his mausoleum, a testament to his heavy dependence on the railways.
Although Kim Jong Un has made the occasional use of airplanes for travel, he maintains this family tradition. The slow, visible trips are a double-edged sword: protecting the safety of the leader and representing a potent piece of state propaganda, highlighting the leadership’s commitment to reaching out to its citizens and the rest of the world on its own terms.
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