North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un reportedly cried during a recent tour of his communist country’s widespread poverty this week, signaling the leader may finally be ready to strike a deal that opens the Hermit Kingdom to the global economy.

In a stark departure from protocol, Kim publicly wept after viewing his country’s “terrible economy” during a recent trip to the coastal region; with experts saying the display of emotion shocked those familiar with his regime.

“In North Korea, Kim is essentially worshipped as a god-like figure with an impossible mythology surrounding his bloodline. Kim is meant to be all powerful, so footage showing him crying at his own inability to improve his country’s economics would be a shock,” writes Business Insider.

If true, the public emotion could signal Kim’s willingness to abandon his nuclear program should the United States guarantee his safety and allow North Korea to enter the global marketplace without sanctions.

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