He fears flying

The North Korean leader's dread of flying, which he inherited from his father, Kim Il Sung, may have contributed to his extreme reclusiveness. This story is also one of the most interesting facts about Kim Jong-il. When Kim did venture abroad, he always used a private armored train. He once traveled to Moscow in a luxurious train car. A Russian diplomat who accompanied Kim on his well-known train journey to Moscow in 2001 claimed that roast donkeys and live lobsters were flown to the train every day. Additionally, according to reports, Kim drank Champagne and French wine while consuming the meal with silver chopsticks. Kim was reportedly one of the top consumers of Hennessey cognac in the world.

According to a report from GlobalPost in August, Kim traveled to Russia to meet with President Dmitry Medvedev to gain support for the handover of power to his third son, Kim Jong Un. Kim's affinity for trains is poignant because it is believed that he passed away while traveling by train to a location outside of Pyongyang, the country's capital.