Kim Jong-il has been accused of spending up to £120,000 on dog food per year, despite many people in the country struggling to feed themselves.
Yoon Sang-hyun, a member of parliament's foreign affairs and unification committee, made this accusation in a report to the parliament of South Korea.
He said: "The luxury life for Kim Jong-il's family goes on regardless of the worsening suffering of North Koreans amid the third-generation succession."
According to the politician, Kim Jong-il spends money on a host of luxury items, including the dog food for his pets, Russian horses for his family and jet skis for his youngest son.
The United Nations Security Council banned the export of luxury items to North Korea after missile and nuclear tests by the communist state.
UN agencies have claimed that around six million people in North Korea - making up around a quarter of the population - are suffering from food shortages.
