The North Korean Fast Food Restaurant Chain Owned By Kim Jong Un's Aunt

Most people don't associate fast food with North Korea, but the Hermit Kingdom has its own version of McDonald's, and it's surprisingly well-connected. Samtaesong is a Pyongyang-based fast food restaurant chain backed by Kim Kyong-hui, the powerful aunt of leader Kim Jong Un and sister of former supreme leader Kim Jong Il. Opened in 2009, the flagship location was launched to introduce burgers and fries to local diners.

Samtaesong's existence reflects more than just culinary novelty. State media claims it's wildly popular, with reported expansions in several cities. But in a country where most citizens can't afford fast food, those claims are impossible to verify.

Still, the strategy is familiar. Even in freer markets, fast food is often used to send a message. McDonald's menus, for example, morph by country, tailoring the offerings to local cultures and political sensitivities. In North Korea, Samtaesong is part of a much bigger story, one that uses food to shape perception, power, and propaganda.

Samtaesong doesn't serve hamburgers, at least not by name. The menu avoids the term entirely, calling them "minced beef and bread" instead. You'll also find fried chicken and waffles. According to Koryo Tours, the entire experience is tightly controlled to appeal to visitors from outside.

Though it's branded as modern fast food, Samtaesong's prices put it out of reach for most North Koreans. NBC News reported in 2009 that a single burger cost more than half the average daily wage, effectively limiting the clientele to elites and foreign visitors.

While Kim Jong Un dines on Kobe beef and fine wine, restaurants like Samtaesong send a different kind of message to the outside world: "We're modern, too." It fits the regime's larger push to project stability, even as most citizens continue to rely on affordable staples like ramyeon and kimchi.