80-metre vessel with pool and slides spotted near Wonsan — BBC News
Satellite images have recorded an 80-metre luxury vessel off the coast of Wonsan in North Korea, featuring a 50-metre swimming pool running along the deck and water slides. BBC News reports that the ship was in waters near the Kalma Peninsula from July to mid-October 2026.
Before that, the vessel spent several months at a maintenance facility and moved to the Kalma coast in early July. A large villa used by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his family, according to the BBC, is located nearby.
Four large vessels near Wonsan
The BBC tracked four large vessels measuring approximately 50, 55, 60 and 80 metres in length. All of them appeared repeatedly near the villa in Wonsan throughout 2026. The 50- and 55-metre vessels were seen near Tae and Sin islands until the end of August, while the 60-metre vessel was spotted near the villa as recently as last week.
Four smaller boats are also visible in images next to the 50-metre vessel. Satellite imagery expert Cheong Seong-hak suggested that they delivered people, fuel and supplies to the larger vessels. He noted that Tae and Sin islands may provide seclusion and privacy.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Possible link to North Korea's leadership
Pyongyang has not officially disclosed the owners of the vessels. However, former North Korean officials, defectors and experts interviewed by the BBC believe that only people connected to the country's leadership could own or freely use such ships. Ri Jong-ho, a former employee of the party's Office 39, said the vessels were kept at a shipyard in winter and moved in summer to Kim Jong Un's villa or the Kalma area for recreation.
An analysis of historical satellite images also identified a large vessel with similar distinctive features in Wonsan as early as 2002, when Kim Jong Il ruled the country. The location of the ships alone does not confirm the presence of the Kim family, but their movements coincide with periods when Kim Jong Un was absent from public events.
According to a 2025 UN report, about 40% of North Korea's population is undernourished due to chronic food shortages. The value of the recorded vessels is unknown, but comparable luxury yachts can cost from tens of millions to more than $100 million.
