Kim Jong-un’s train journey infographic
Graphic shows the possible route of Kim’s train journey to Vietnam.
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VIETNAM

Kim may travel by train to Vietnam for summit with Trump

By Jordi Bou

February 27, 2019 - February 28, 2019 - A marathon train trip from Pyongyang to Vietnam – via China – could take at least two days and see the North Korean leader cover more than 3,000km for his second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Japanese and South Korean media first cited sources saying Kim was likely to take his private train from Pyongyang to cross the border town of Dandong into China and then go onwards to Vietnam.

Kim’s train will stop at the Vietnamese border station of Dong Dang where he will disembark and drive 170 km (105 miles) to Hanoi by car, the sources said.

Kim’s distinctive green and yellow private train is armour-plated and it is fitted with satellite phones, bedrooms and conference spaces.
Each of its 21 carriages is bulletproof, giving the entire train an average speed of just 60km/h.

According to a 2009 South Korea news report that relied on classified information, three trains operate each time the North Korean leader travels.
An advance train checks the safety of the railway lines. The leader’s train follows between 20 minutes and one hour after the first. The third train carries additional bodyguards and communications equipment.
Military helicopters and planes provide extra security.

Travel by train has been a favourite mode of transport for Kim Jong-un, and his father, Kim Jong-il, and grandfather, Kim Il-sung.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 22/02/2019; STORY: Graphic News; PICTURES: Associated Press, Getty Images
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