By Kim Young-jin
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is resting at a coastal villa this month, cruising on a luxury yacht as his country reels from severe flooding, a source said Thursday.
The 69-year-old leader has been vacationing on the country’s east coast since the beginning of August, the source familiar with North Korean affairs told Yonhap News.
Such jaunts are typical for Kim, who has earned a reputation for living lavishly. But it comes as his country has been hit by heavy rainfall for which the international community has offered assistance.
It also flies in the face of international sanctions on, among other things, luxury goods imposed for Pyongyang’s missile and nuclear tests.
The floods, unleashed by torrential summer rain, have claimed dozens of lives and washed away thousands of homes, prompting Seoul to offer a large package of emergency food aid.
Some observers said his boating activities suggest Kim is feeling healthy again after reportedly suffering a stroke in 2008. His previously flagging health was thought to be behind an accelerated power handoff to his youngest son, Jong-un.
The “Dear Leader” is thought to live a ritzy lifestyle with eclectic tastes for such things as cognac and high-heeled platform shoes. He is also known to be a film buff.
Whether Kim has visited any of the stricken areas was unclear but the source said the leader visited a factory near the villa.