These ridiculous photos of Kim Jong Un riding a white horse mean everyone should actually be taking North Korea very seriously

KCNA via REUTERS

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un rides a horse during snowfall in Mount Paektu in this image released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on October 16, 2019.

• North Korean media released photos of dictator Kim Jong Un riding a white horse on a symbolically important mountain this week.
• Photos of the leader there usually proceed major announcements from North Korean leadership; experts believe that this time, it could herald a frightening military advancement.
• The photos are laden with symbolism, from the white horse, to the location, to Kim Jong Un's clothing choices. 
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had a photoshoot on a white horse on Mt. Paektu, a symbolically important location for his family and for North Korea. 

Kim Jong Un has had similar trips and photo shoots before; during one such trip, North Korean state media claimed that the rotund dictator climbed Mt. Paektu, while photos of the event showed him in leather business shoes. 

Of course, the photo caused a stir on Twitter, with some Photoshopping the pictures into prestige drama ads for Netflix:

Or bringing up a similar winter photoshoot:

But apart from looking faintly ridiculous to the outside world, the new photos from the Hermit Kingdom are shot through with meaning, according to experts. Read on to see what Kim Jong Un's snowy ride means.