He has upstaged leader Kim Jong Un in a state media photo, but who is the North Korean soldier clad in a super-tight blue outfit?
Nearly 30 service personnel posed for a photo with Mr Kim during an exhibition of weapons systems on Monday.
North Korea published pictures of the event the following day.
Almost all wore olive-green uniforms – the most common colour for North Korean military uniforms. Mr Kim wore a dark suit.
But one wore a tight blue synthetic outfit – creating a buzz on social media.
Some users compared him to Captain America, calling him “a superhero” and “a Captain DPRK,” – a reference to North Korea's official name the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Others called him “a rocket man” and said he looked like a “human cannonball".
North Korean state media did not identify the man.
But Jeffrey Lewis, an expert at Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, California tweeted: “It seems he’s the parachutist.”
Other North Korean photos showed Mr Kim watching a group of jets flying in a formation during an air show before the exhibition.
The official Korean Central News Agency said a “top-notch parachutist showed landing skills, fluttering red party flag in the (October) sky” before the exhibition’s opening ceremony.
Photos of an earlier air show in North Korea showed parachutists wearing similar blue tight outfits.
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
