North Korean leader Kim Jong un (2nd from right), flanked by his daughter Ju ae (right), toured the National Garment and Footwear Exhibition 2026 in Pyongyang on 19 October 2026, per images released by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) the following day.
According to KCNA, the National Garment and Footwear Exhibition 2026 assembled more than 70,700 garments of over 30 kinds and over 1,70,000 pairs of shoes of more than 60 kinds, produced by over 270 garment, footwear and bag manufacturing units across North Korea.
The National Garment and Footwear Exhibition 2026 was held under the theme of ‘enthusiasm for developing new products and improving their quality,’ according to KCNA — signalling Pyongyang's stated focus on upgrading its domestic light industry output.
Kim Jong un's public inspection tour of the exhibition — with daughter Ju ae at his side — was reported by KCNA on 20 October 2026, a day after the visit, in what observers note is a recurring pattern of state media coverage of the leader's domestic industry oversight.