North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has received a new shipment of Oryol trotters from Russia, which was delivered across the narrow land border between the two countries. According to a statement by the veterinary authorities of the Primorsky Krai, 24 horses were transported on Sunday - 19 stallions and five mares, which is Kim's favorite breed, often depicted in propaganda photos, The Times writes, UNN reports.
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Thirty horses of the same breed have already been sent to Pyongyang in 2022. Despite the development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, North Korea is also investing in one of the oldest military technologies by developing a network of mounted military units. According to official trade reports, between 2020 and 2023, the country spent at least $600,000 on thoroughbred horses imported from Russia.
Horses have more symbolic significance for Kim than military ones, playing an important role in the personality cult he has created around himself and his family. State media often show Kim riding horses since childhood, including with his father, Kim Jong-il. In 2018, a series of photographs emerged showing Kim riding an eagle trotter through the snow on the sacred mountain of Paektu with his wife, Lee Sol-ju, his sister, Kim Yo-jong, and other aides.
In February, state media showed Kim and his daughter, Ju Ae, who is widely considered his legitimate heir, during a military parade marking the 75th anniversary of the Korean People's Army, where they were also riding eagle trotters. The South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo described Kim and his wife unkindly, calling them “like a couple of bubbly elves from The Lord of the Rings.