Inside The Hidden Luxury Homes Of North Korea’s Kim Jong Un

Pyongyang: North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un does not have just one address. According to reports, he uses multiple grand residences across the country, from sprawling fortified palaces in Pyongyang to private villas near coastal towns. These are part of a network of elite compounds kept almost completely out of view from the outside world.

What is his main residence?

The core of Kim’s domestic life appears to be the Ryongsong Residence in northern Pyongyang. It is part of the Kumsusan Palace, which is also the mausoleum of the former leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. This vast, heavily secured compound covers many square kilometres and includes multiple buildings, gardens, lakes and leisure spaces. It reportedly features recreation areas like an indoor swimming pool and stables, all enclosed by strict perimeter defences and guarded by elite units. 

This complex also has an underground train station, tunnels, and fortified structures meant to serve as wartime headquarters. It is where Kim and his close family members are thought to spend the bulk of their time.

Does he have other residences?

Besides Ryongsong, at least three other major official homes are known:

Kangdong Residence, a large second compound outside central Pyongyang used as a retreat or summer residence. 

Sinuiju Residence, near the border with China, is believed to be a legacy property from Kim Jong Il’s era taken over by Kim. 

Several smaller estates were identified by satellite mapping work in places like the Ryokpo and Samsok districts, though details about their use are scarce. 

Experts say these aren’t simple homes but highly secured facilities. Some are believed to have private train links or special roads that connect them to Pyongyang’s elite transport network. 

Are these places lavish?

Satellite analysts describe manicured gardens, lakes, and buildings set deep within forests or along scenic coasts. These compounds often contrast sharply with the wider North Korean landscape, where most citizens live in far more modest conditions.

At Ryongsong, reports point to sport facilities, water features, and gardens that mirror the sort of leisure spaces found in wealthy enclaves elsewhere, though exact details remain hard to confirm independently.

Why so many homes?

Observers say multiple residences serve several purposes: security, travel convenience, and political control. Hidden bases outside Pyongyang give Kim options for relocation in emergencies. Villas near the coast or borders may host foreign guests or officials. And dispersed estates keep the leadership insulated from the general population. 

What about trains and transport?

Kim Jong Un also travels in luxury, notably aboard a heavily armoured, personalised train he shares with his lineage’s past leaders. The train, with conference rooms, sleeping cars and secure communications, is a symbol of status and mobility for a leader rarely seen in public.