Kim Jong-un might be on the verge of some major policy shifts, 'cause he just Paul Revere'd his ass to a snowy mountain ... where he traditionally likes to sit and think.

The Supreme Leader/dictator released some interesting photos this week, showing himself galloping on a gorgeous white stallion through the snowy grounds surrounding Paektu Mountain -- an active stratovolcano on the Chinese-North Korean border.

The mountain is said to be a sacred getaway, with tons of symbolism and mythical history to a lot of Koreans. For this guy specifically, Kim has previously visited Paektu before major decisions for his country ... so a recent visit could mean he's up to something.

Of course, the horseback outing is hilariously similar to Russian President Vladimir Putin's ride through the mountains of Siberia in 2009 ... when he famously went shirtless.

Kim wasn't so bold here ... keeping his shirt (and winter coat) on as he was made to look heroic in a photo shoot for the ages, with the help of trusty state photogs, who were obviously following nearby. N. Korea's version of a setup paparazzi shot, if you will.