The North Korean dictator was pictured at Mount Paektu on Friday, a 9,000ft peak on the Chinese border.

And previous trips to the landmark have preceded a barbaric cull of his political foes.

After a visit in 2013, the hermit state’s leader ordered the massacre of North Korea officials including his own uncle, Jang Song-thaek.

A visit two years later preceded the execution of defence chief Hyon Yong-chol.

He also made a visit last year shortly after a nuclear test by the country.

And experts have speculated the latest propaganda stunt could signal a fresh purge of his rivals.

The Korea Times reported this could include brutal actions against military chief Vice Marshal Hwang Pyong-so and his deputy Kim Wong-hong.

Both men were disciplined last month as part of Kim’s bid to tighten his grip on Pyongyang’s armed forces.

The tyrant was pictured at the mountain without a bead of sweat or a crumple in his trademark black suit, leaving many to suspect he did not actually climb the peak.

Declaring the fresh visit, North Korea state-run media declared: “Kim visited the mountain and ordered the site managers to construct hospitable accommodations on the mountain for visitors.”

It even suggested he had mastery over the weather, claiming he “controlled nature” to bring about “dazzling sunshine” on the peak.

The propaganda channels said he was joined at the mountain by military leaders to “emphasise his military vision”.

Kim declared the nuclear force complete after the test of North Korea's largest ever intercontinental ballistic missile last month, which experts said puts all of America within range.

His father, Kim Jong-il, also made a trip to the peak before a high profile execution in 1977.

Mount Paektu has symbolic importance in the secretive state, which declared it the birthplace of the country’s first dictator Kim il-sung.

It is also an active volcano and some experts have warned nuclear testing could trigger an eruption. 

Kim’s stunt comes as fears continue his commitment to missile tests could provoke World War 3.

Yesterday, Russia warned the conflict was entering a “hot phase” where conflict was growing more likely.

Russia vowed to join forces with China to stop that happening, urging Donald Trump to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis.

And they warned joint US-Japanese drills south of the Korean peninsula risked escalating the stand-off.