An old friend recounts Kim Jong-un's time studying in Switzerland.

Nearly 20 years have passed, but Joao Micaelo, a chef at a restaurant in Bern, still vividly remembers his former classmate from the Liebefeld-Steinholzli German school. Like many others who knew Kim Jong-un from 1998 to the end of 2000, Micaelo thought that KimHis name is "Pak Un," the son of a North Korean embassy employee. One day, Kim hinted at his true identity to Michael, but Michael thought he was just joking.

"He's a good friend," Micaelo toldDaily Beast"We have so many happy memories together. Many friends also liked him. I don't know anything about his life now. All I know is that he was the guy I knew at school. He was passionate about basketball. We used to play together."

According to Micaelo, Kim Jong-un is a fan of the Chicago Bulls, has a large collection of sneakers, and despite being only about 1.67 meters tall and quite heavy, he is still very good at basketball.

"He was very cheerful, always making people laugh," recalled Marco Imhof, another former classmate. "He also hated losing. Winning was very important to him."

"He had a good sense of humor and was friendly to everyone, even to students from countries hostile to North Korea," another friend told a German newspaper.Welt am Sonntag."Politics is a taboo subject at school. We only debate football, not politics."

A local education official confirmed this.ReutersIt was reported that a student named Pak Un, the son of a North Korean embassy employee, attended Steinhoelzli School. This male student was described as "sociable, diligent, and ambitious."

Besides Kim Jong-un, his older brother Kim Jong-chul and younger sister Kim Yo-jong also studied in Switzerland from 1992 to 2000. His half-brother Kim Jong Nam studied in Moscow, Russia, and later also went to Geneva, Switzerland.

Last year, Kim Jong-un's aunt, Ko Yong Suk, toldWashington PostShe said that she and her husband had been taking care of their grandson and his siblings in Switzerland. Kim Jong Un went to Switzerland in 1996, when he was 12 years old.

"We live in a normal house and behave like any other family. I'm like their mother," Mrs. Ko recounted. "I often tell Kim Jong Un to bring his friends home to play because I want them to have a normal life. I make snacks for the children. They eat cookies and play with Legos."

During holidays, Mrs. Ko and her husband take their grandchildren skiing in the Alps, swimming in the Mediterranean Sea, and traveling to Italy. In Bern, besides basketball, Kim Jong-un also enjoys exploring machinery.

"He wasn't a troublemaker, but he was quite hot-tempered and lacked tolerance," Mrs. Ko recalled. "When his mother reminded him not to play too much and to spend more time studying, he wouldn't just retort but react in other ways, like refusing to eat."

Kim Jong-un suddenly disappeared in the middle of his school year in 2000, and his friends heard no news of him. Kim returned to North Korea and succeeded his father, Kim Jong-il, after the latter died of heart disease in 2011. Kim Jong-un is believed not to have returned to Switzerland since his return, but his years studying abroad had a significant impact on him.

In 2012, the Masikryong ski resort, built in Kangwon Province at an estimated cost of tens of millions of dollars, was said to be inspired by his time in Switzerland. He even intended to import a Swiss cable car system for the resort but encountered international sanctions.

The young leader is also said to have gifted Swiss watches to high-ranking officials. A South Korean newspaper reported that in 2013, he dedicated a large portion of land in Kangwon Province to transforming it into high-altitude grasslands and farms.