Did Kim Jong-Un Really Use a Fake Brazilian Passport to Visit a Theme Park?
The idea of North Korea’s ruling family sneaking into Disneyland sounds like satire, but the story has roots in fact. For decades, rumors have circulated that Kim Jong-Un and his father, Kim Jong-Il, used fake Brazilian passports to travel abroad. Some details are confirmed, especially involving Tokyo Disneyland, while other claims remain unproven. What’s clear is that fraudulent documents were part of the Kim family’s playbook.
Passports with Pseudonyms
Image via Getty Images/DDurrich
In 2018, Reuters revealed photocopies of Brazilian passports tied to Kim Jong-Un and Kim Jong-Il issued by the Brazilian embassy in Prague in 1996. The passports listed Jong-Un as “Josef Pwag” and his father as “Ijong Tchoi.” A Brazilian security source said they looked genuine. Other officials claimed the passports were used to apply for visas in Western countries, but no proof exists that visas were granted or used.
Japanese media had already connected the family to similar documents. In May 1991, Kim Jong-Un, then eight, and his older brother Kim Jong-Chul reportedly entered Japan using Brazilian passports. According to the Yomiuri Shimbun, the brothers stayed for over a week and visited Tokyo Disneyland multiple times. Around ten North Korean officials accompanied them. There is no evidence that Kim Jong-II joined them.
A Pattern of Fake Passports
The habit wasn’t unique to Jong-Un. His half-brother, Kim Jong-Nam, attempted to visit Tokyo Disneyland in 2001 using a fake Dominican Republic passport while traveling with his wife, young son, and a nanny. He was caught at Narita Airport and deported to Beijing. The incident embarrassed Kim Jong-Il and reportedly cost Jong-Nam his role as heir.
The family’s reliance on forged papers reflected the struggles of the 1990s. The Soviet Union had collapsed, famine was devastating the country, and North Korea was diplomatically isolated. Genuine North Korean passports had little value, while forgers favored Brazilian ones because of the country’s diverse population and weaker security at the time.
Escape Routes or Theme Parks?
Image via Wikimedia Commons/The Presidential Press and Information Office
Why would the ruling family go to such lengths? Dr. John Nilsson-Wright of Chatham House argued the passports may have been created to provide an escape option if conditions worsened. Kim Jong-II was known for being cautious, so creating fake identities for himself and his son suggests insecurity during his early years in power.
At the same time, Disneyland trips have different motives. For Jong-Un and Jong-Chul, the chance to experience something as ordinary as a theme park would have been a rare escape from North Korea’s isolation. Reports suggest the brothers went to Tokyo Disneyland more than once during that 1991 trip.
Separating Fact from Rumor
Image via iStockphoto/http://www.fotogestoeber.de
So, did Kim Jong-Un really use a fake Brazilian passport to visit a theme park? Evidence points to it, but the destination was Tokyo Disneyland, not Disneyland in California. Social media has exaggerated the story, yet Japanese media reports and Reuters’ findings confirm that fake passports were used. These documents offered both access to foreign destinations and a possible fallback plan for the family.