The High-Dollar Steak Kim Jong-Un Eats
Often referred to as a hermit kingdom due to its strict isolationist policies, North Korea remains an inscrutable nation to most people outside of the country. Its leader, Kim Jong-Un, who was preceded by grandfather Kim Il-Sung and father Kim Jong-Il, is just as inscrutable as the nation itself. We do know that Kim Jong-Un has been linked to a multitude of crimes against humanity, accused of assassinating family members for political gain, and opted to run North Korea as a totalitarian dictatorship, which means that the citizenry enjoy no personal freedoms and must fully abide by the strictures set by the government.
We also know quite a bit about Kim Jong-Un's preferred foods, and unsurprisingly for a person born into such wealth and prosperity, the dictator has a taste for the finer things in life. This includes frequent meals featuring imported Kobe beef, much loved by Kim Jong-Un as well as his late father, Kim Jong-Il. While pricing varies, it's not uncommon for Kobe beef to cost as much as $500 per pound. According to a sushi chef that was previously employed by the pair, Kobe steaks were often accompanied by Cristal, a high-end brand of Champagne also known for its steep price tag. Other favorite indulgences of Kim Jong-Un include Emmental cheese and Parma ham as well as gold foil-wrapped cigarettes from iconic fashion brand Yves Saint Laurent.
Kim Jong-Un enjoys expensive meals, but his citizens aren't so fortunate
Kobe beef is so beloved (and expensive) because it must meet several strict criteria to earn its lofty designation. Kobe beef must be derived from cattle of the Tajima bloodline of the Japanese Black breed from Japan's Hyogo Prefecture. Cattle must also be fed a special diet to facilitate exquisite marbling and earn a Beef Marble Score of 6 or greater. (This Japanese beef scoring system features a quality range of 3 to 12.) For Kim Jong-Un, who was estimated to have $5 billion in personal wealth in 2019, the high price of Kobe beef probably seems like a minor expense. However, when compared to the immense poverty affecting the North Korean people, the dictator's excesses are distinctly cruel and uncaring.
Food insecurity is a global crisis, but the citizens of North Korea face insurmountable challenges due to the totalitarian government under which they subsist. As reported by the World Food Programme, 10.7 million people living in the country are underfed, while 18% of North Korean children exhibit health effects associated with chronic malnutrition. Food shortages are also common, as Kim Jong-Un is primarily concerned with maintaining his authority and accumulating more power instead of ensuring his people have the resources they need. While there's little the outside world can do to help people struggling within North Korea, Kim Jong-Un's actions show the dangers of what can happen when a dictator steeped in unbelievable privilege is afforded unlimited power.