Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, has been spotted with a Chinese-made foldable smartphone, highlighting the regime's apparent efforts to circumvent sanctions to access the latest foreign technology. Images released by state media on December 14 show her holding the device during the inauguration of a hospital alongside her brother.

While the brand of the phone is not explicitly identified in the images, it closely resembles the "Magic" series from the Chinese company Honor, marketed as the "thinnest foldable phone in the world." The model V3 is priced around $1,379, a sum far beyond the reach of ordinary North Koreans, who earn a maximum of three dollars monthly in state industries.

The Kim family is known for its fascination with electronic devices; Kim Jong-un has previously been seen using Apple products, including iPads and MacBooks. Importing smartphones is banned under UN sanctions imposed in response to North Korea's nuclear program.