North Korean leader was taking no chances after arriving for Chinese victory parade in a bulletproof train
Kim Jong-Un's assistants were spotted painstakingly cleaning every surface the North Korean dictator had come into contact with following his encounter with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Beijing.
The duo served as guests of honour at China's most extensive 'Victory Day' military display to date, which exhibited an array of cutting-edge weaponry, drones, and additional military equipment, thought to represent a signal from President Xi Jinping to the United States and its partners.
Video clips circulated on Telegram by Russian correspondent Alexander Yunashev seemed to capture two staff members polishing the backrest and armrests utilised by the Supreme Leader of the reclusive state following a two-hour discussion with Putin, whilst also sanitising a table and removing his drinking glass on a serving tray.
"After the negotiations were over, the staff accompanying the head of the DPRK carefully destroyed all traces of Kim's presence," Mr Yunashev posted.
Kim is recognised for implementing rigorous security protocols to prevent espionage or assassination attempts, even travelling to the capital via his armoured train, which purportedly features a personal lavatory to guarantee his bodily waste cannot be seized, reports the Daily Record.
"The special toilet and the requisite garbage bags of detritus, waste and cigarette butts are so that a foreign intelligence agency, even a friendly one, doesn't acquire a sample and test it," explained Michael Madden, a North Korea leadership specialist with Stimson Center, a nonpartisan think tank. "It would provide insight into any medical conditions affecting Kim Jong Un. This can include hair and skin tags."
Whilst Kim, Xi and Putin were portrayed as the central figures during the event, seen on several long, stern-looking walks, leaders from over 20 countries attended the summit, including India's Modi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Kim and Putin further emphasised their growing alliance, with the former stating, "If there is anything I can or must do for you and the Russian people, I consider it my duty as a fraternal obligation."
South Korean intelligence estimates that its Northern adversary has dispatched more than 15,000 troops to fight on Russia's frontline against Ukraine, along with missiles and long-range weapons in exchange for food, money and technical assistance with its military programmes.
The rigorous clean-up operation that followed the meeting is nothing new, with analysts previously confirming the procedure is carried out to prevent foreign intelligence agencies from collecting samples that may disclose the state of Kim's health.
Similar measures were taken following his 2019 Hanoi summit with Donald Trump, during his first term in office, as the paranoid leader's team cordoned off the floor of his hotel room to clean it and remove items such as the mattress he had slept on.