According to the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim attended a ceremony on Tuesday marking the completion of the Wonsan and Kalma tourist zone in Kangwon Province, one of his pet projects, as he apparently aims to boost the country's tourism industry as a source of hard currency for his regime.
Kim was accompanied by his wife Ri Sol-ju and his daughter Ju-ae. It was Ri's first public appearance in about a year and a half, since a New Year's Day event in January 2024.
Ri had disappeared from a public radar in recent months, while Ju-ae has been appearing frequently along with his father instead, prompting speculation that she is being groomed as his successor.
Photos released by KCNA showed Ri keeping a slight distance behind Kim and Ju-ae, who stood next to him. Notably, Ri was seen carrying a handbag believed to be from the Italian luxury brand Gucci, reportedly worth around 3 million won ($2,150).
The hereditary Kim family is known to have a propensity for luxury goods, having previously been seen with high-end jewelry and other items despite UN Security Council sanctions banning the export of such products.
Meanwhile, also present at the event were Kim's sister, Yo-jong along with Russian Ambassador to North Korea Aleksandr Matsegora and other embassy officials.
reporter
Im Yoon-seo
lyseo0330@ajupress.com
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