North Korean soldier who defected has been granted Choco Pies for life — a snack Kim Jong Un hates

The North Korean soldier who recently defected has been promised a lifetime supply of Choco Pies after requesting some in hospital. Millions of Choco Pies used to sell on North Korea's black market each month, before they were essentially banned in 2014. Choco Pies were previously sold on the North Korean black market and South Korea once air dropped a delivery across the border.

A North Korean soldier who embarked on a dramatic defection across the Demilitarized Zone last month has been promised a lifetime supply of Choco Pies, The Korea Herald reported this week. The soldier, who has been identified by his family name "Oh," reportedly asked for some Choco Pies when he woke up in hospital after being shot during his defection. Orion, the South Korean manufacturer of the snack since 1974, announced they would give Oh a lifetime supply of the treat, as long as he stayed in South Korea. The company also sent 100 boxes to Oh's hospital room, though he is yet to recover enough to be able to eat them. An official from Orion said, “We sent the choco pies as a welcoming present to Oh, who came to Korea after going through hardship. It was not an act for publicity.”

Image: A woman carries a balloon filled with Choco Pies. Ahn Young-joon/AP