It’s Air Force Un! North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un gets his own private jet – and officials say leader ‘likes steering aircraft’ despite not being a qualified pilot
- Kim Jong-un seen stepping off his private luxury Russian IL-62 jet
- North Korean dictator 'likes steering' aircraft, government source claims
- Jet is his own version of US President Barack Obama's 'Air Force One'
- Tony Blair said to rent a £7,000-an-hour private Bombardier jet for travel
For a man who is said to despise the US President, North Korean ruler Kim Jong-un appears to be showing a touch of hypocrisy as he steps onto a red carpet from his own version of 'Air Force One'.
A photo, published in the official North Korean daily newspaper Rodong Sinmun, shows for the first time the luxury Russian IL-62 jetliner that carries Kim and his wife Ri Sol-ju on official engagements around the secretive country.
At first glance, the aircraft bears some similarity to the US President's personal jet, bearing as it does North Korea's official name and flag and a star symbolising Kim on its tail, South Korea's Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported today, quoting the North's paper.
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North Korea leader Kim Jong-Un and his wife Ri SOl Ju flew into the operational airfield in the west of the secretive country using his
luxury private jet
Dictator Kim Jong-un appears to have followed in the footsteps of US President Barack Obama who uses Air Force One to travel between engagements
On the Tarmac: Kim Jong-Un's plane is greeted by officers from the North Korean military as he arrives for the 2014 combat flight contest. The Russian plane has been converted to a private jet for the use of the dictator.
The American President's jet is a a prominent symbol of the presidency and its power - and it now appears that Kim has decided not to be out-done, ensuring the North's flag and his own seal mirrors the livery of Air Force One.
An official photo shows Kim and his wife walking along a red carpet from the aircraft past a guard of honour with a goose-stepping officer just behind them.
They were arriving for the 2014 combat flight competition at a military facility in the country when the pictures were taken.
Kim is giving the military men a salute as his wife walks slightly behind him, dressed in a green suit after their arrival at an undisclosed air base.
On an earlier occasion two months ago Kim was seen alighting from a jet at Samjyon Airport, but on that occasion it was operated by the official government airline, Air Koryo.
At first glance, Kim Jong-un's personal aircraft bears a close resemblance to the US President's personal jet, Air Force One
The American President's jet is described as being a prominent symbol of the presidency and its power, and it now appears that
Kim Jong-un has decided not to be out-done
The South Korean newspaper observed that Kim appears keen to show that he does not suffer the same pathological fear of flying as his father, Kim Jong-il, who travelled as far as he could get on a special armoured train.
In fact he has even tried his hand at the controls, it was claimed, although he is not known to have an qualifications as a pilot.
'Kim Jong-un likes steering aircraft,' a senior government source in Seoul was quoted as saying in the South's capital, Seoul.
Kim's wife is presumed to support his preference for flying around North Korea, rather than travelling by road or train - Ri's father is said to have been a pilot.
Meanwhile, Chosun Ilbo reported, it emerged from that air base visit that Kim and Ri were accompanied by Hwang Pyong-so, the new military politburo chief, and Choe Ryong-hae, Hwang's predecsssor, who was in civilian clothes.
This has added to speculation that while Choe has not lost much actual status, he has been demoted to party secretary.
The dictator's new travel arrangement show the popularity of private planes. It comes after it was revealed that Tony Blair appeared to be footing the bill for the use of a £30million private plane.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2626197/It-s-Air-Force-Un-North-Korean-dictator-Kim-Jong-gets-private-jet-officials-say-leader-likes-steering-aircraft-despite-not-qualified-pilot.html#ixzz31XNlf633
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