North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made his highest number of public appearances in nine years in 2025 as he increased diplomatic activities and on-site inspections related to a five-year national development plan, according to data released Sunday by state media monitoring authorities.
North Korea’s state media reported that Kim made 118 public appearances from January through the end of November 2025, according to the compiled data.
The reported total of 118 appearances in the first 11 months of 2025 surpassed his annual counts in each year since 2016, based on the monitoring records.
The data showed that Kim intensified his schedule in 2025 as he oversaw projects connected to North Korea’s ongoing five-year national development plan.
State media reports indicated that Kim visited industrial sites, military facilities, and major construction projects during his on-site inspections in 2025.
The monitoring data showed that Kim also expanded his diplomatic engagement in 2025 through meetings with foreign delegations and participation in events involving international partners.
Analysts who track North Korean media output compiled the figures by counting Kim’s activities reported in the country’s official outlets during the January–November 2025 period.
The records indicated that Kim’s 2025 appearance tally exceeded his annual public activity levels reported during the COVID-19 pandemic years and the preceding period.
The data showed that Kim’s public schedule in 2025 reflected North Korea’s stated focus on implementing its five-year plan, which authorities in Pyongyang announced in 2021.
North Korea’s official media coverage emphasized Kim’s leadership role in economic, military, and infrastructure projects as it reported his 2025 field guidance visits.
