BEIJING: A video shared by a Kremlin reporter has shown North Korea’s staff carefully cleaning the room used by Kim Jong Un during his recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The move has drawn attention to the country’s strict security protocols.
The footage, posted by journalist Alexander Yunashev on Telegram, showed two North Korean staff members wiping down the chair, armrests, and coffee table used by Kim. His drinking glass was also removed. According to Yunashev, all traces of Kim’s presence were destroyed after the negotiations.
Experts say such measures are standard practice in North Korea and are designed to prevent any foreign intelligence agency from collecting information about Kim’s health. Michael Madden, a leadership expert at the US-based Stimson Centre, explained that even cigarette butts, waste, or hair samples could reveal medical conditions.
This is not the first time Kim’s team has taken such precautions. During his 2019 summit with former US President Donald Trump in Hanoi, North Korean guards reportedly spent hours cleaning his hotel room and removing items, including a mattress.
Similar scenes were observed in 2018 before Kim’s meeting with then South Korean President Moon Jae-in. His guards disinfected the chair and desk before he sat down. In 2023, during another summit with Putin, his security team used disinfectant and even a metal detector to check the leader’s seat.
Despite the appearance of warm ties between Kim and Putin, North Korea continues to keep its leader’s health a closely guarded secret. The latest cleaning footage highlights the extraordinary efforts made by Kim’s team to prevent any foreign agency from gaining even the smallest clue about his condition.
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