Between 11–12 September 2026, reports indicated that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was orchestrating new avenues for state-sanctioned leisure and consumption, including coffee bars, water parks, and retail shops. The initiatives represented an unusual shift for a nation rarely associated with pleasure and recreational spending.
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Kim Jong Un wants North Koreans to have more (state-sanctioned) fun Reuters
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, himself no stranger to indulgence, is orchestrating new ways for his citizens to spend their wealth.
Coffee bars. Water parks. Retail therapy. North Korea – a country few would associate with leisure or pleasure – is experiencing an unlikely outbreak of fun. Leader Kim Jong-un, himself no stranger to indulgence, is orchestrating new ways for his citizens to spend their wealth. North Korea’s imports of massage equipment have surged 40-fold over the past decade, according to Chinese customs data