North Korean leader goes mountain climbing (PHOTOS)

North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un is no stranger to the headlines for a variety of reasons.

If he's not engaged in battle of wills with the United States, he's causing a frenzy with his disappearance from the public radar for weeks on end and now he's about to make the headlines for a completely different reason - his mountaineering skills.

According to North Korean state media Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim climbed to the frigid, wind-swept summit of Mountain Paektu at dawn on Sunday with a group of elite North Korean Air Force fighter pilots.

Mountain Paektu reportedly soars to about 9,000 feet, and is considered to be a symbol associated with the Kim family, with North Korean saying the mountain is associated with "the soul of the Korean nation" and is a symbol of victory.

Check out photos of a smiling Kim above and group of elite North Korean Air Force fighter pilots as they made the tedious climb.