North Korean Luxury Tastes Likely to Change under Successor

Obviously, much about North Korea, and especially Kim Jong-il, is left to the realm of speculation. It's hard enough to know what's going on inside the secretive country, especially given the risks of relying too heavily on defector testimony, and the Dear Leader tends to insulate himself from the outside world. There are rumors, of course, that he has a taste for Cuban cigars and upscale spirits, but confirmation is notoriously difficult to attain.

Nonetheless, it seems the man loves to spend. It's said that 20 percent of North Korea's budget goes to support his lifestyle, including the Omega watches he wears.. In a fit of generosity, he set up top officials with newly imported 160 Mercedes-Benz sedans.

According to a defector (so take it with a grain of salt):

The defector says Kim Jong-il was impressed when Chinese diplomats knew to his tastes: "During his visit to China in 2005, Kim Jong-il was delighted to see bottles of Perrier that Chinese officials had prepared for him and asked his aides how the Chinese knew he liked Perrier."

Questions about Kim Jong-il's health have led to an increased focus on his likely successor, son Kim Jong-un. Not much is known about him ... except the fact that he likes to kick around in Nikes. One can only expect his tastes to mature when his old man dies and the kid ascends to the top spot.



[photo by yeowatzup via Flickr]