Kim Jong Il visits the State Academy of Sciences, Bioengineering Branch
A new picture from North Korea shows heir apparent Kim Jong-un wearing the same otter hat as his ‘Dear Leader’ daddy, fueling some rather furry succession theories.
On Jan 31st Chosun Ilbo, a South Korean newspaper, published a picture allegedly dated January 23rd that shows North Korea’s leader and his son posing during a visit to an art studio in Pyongyang wearing identical fur hats.
Anywhere else this would hardly make news, except, perhaps, among fashion bloggers. But North Korea is so shrouded in mystery that most observers, including NewsFeed, are forced to take what they can get.
(More on TIME.com: See The Busy Life of Kim Jong-il, a Time Photo Essay)
The paper cites a North Korean defector who says there is an an unwritten rule that only the ‘Dear Leader’ and, apparently, his ‘dear son’ can wear the custom caps. He also notes that the tan-colored caps are made by “foreign master craftsman” using top-notch fur.
The hats are reportedly a hit among members of the country’s ruling elite, who sport factory-made knock-offs. “If you look at them carefully, you’ll see that their hats are industrial products and the quality is far inferior,” he says. (It seems that even north of the 38th parallel, imitation is the highest form of flattery.)
So, has Chosun Illbo cracked the case? Probably not. But we’re glad to know what’s hip in the Hermit kingdom. (via Gawker)