An unusual scene played out in Beijing on Wednesday, shortly after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded their official talks. The two had met following a grand military parade hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping, which underscored China’s rising diplomatic presence on the world stage. While the meeting itself was significant, what drew global attention was the behavior of Kim’s aides once the talks ended. A video that surfaced online showed his staff rushing in to meticulously clean and sanitize everything the North Korean leader had touched during the discussions.
The footage, shared widely on Telegram, depicted two aides acting with remarkable speed and precision. One aide polished the backrest of the chair Kim had used, while another carefully removed his drinking glass on a tray as though handling sensitive evidence. They wiped the arms of the chair, the upholstery, and even the nearby side table, ensuring that no trace of Kim’s presence remained. The process, more reminiscent of a crime investigation than diplomatic protocol, highlighted the extreme measures taken by Kim’s security team.
Russian journalist Alexander Yunashev, reporting on his Yunashev Live channel, described how Kim’s staff “carefully destroyed all traces” of his presence, noting how every item he had touched was either cleaned or removed. He added that the talks had ended positively, with both Kim and Putin appearing satisfied before heading into a more relaxed tea session. Yet, it was the meticulous decontamination effort that overshadowed the otherwise cordial atmosphere, sparking speculation about the reasons behind such measures.
The motivations remain uncertain. Some observers suggested the cleaning may have been aimed at countering possible surveillance efforts by Russia’s intelligence agencies or by China’s expansive security network. Others argued that it reflected North Korea’s long-standing paranoia over the leader’s safety. Kim is not the only head of state known for such practices; leaders of tightly controlled regimes often go to extraordinary lengths to protect their biological traces.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is reported to follow a similar routine. Since 2017, his security detail has allegedly collected his bodily waste during foreign trips, sealing it in containers and transporting it back to Moscow. The purpose is believed to be preventing other governments from gaining insights into his health through DNA analysis. Reports claim that the same precautions were in place during Putin’s meeting with former U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska, underlining the Kremlin’s strict measures to guard even the most private details of the president’s well-being.
Despite the unusual spectacle, the meeting in Beijing carried important political weight. Kim pledged full support to Putin, declaring that helping Russia was his “duty as a fraternal obligation.” Putin expressed appreciation for North Korea’s military assistance, even as reports suggested that around 2,000 of the 13,000 North Korean troops deployed to Ukraine had already been killed. The pledge demonstrated the growing alignment between the two isolated nations, both of which face heavy international sanctions.
For Kim, the visit was also historic. It was his first known trip to China since the pandemic and gave him a rare chance to appear alongside both Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin. The occasion also allowed him to engage with more than two dozen world leaders gathered to commemorate Japan’s surrender in World War Two. His presence underscored North Korea’s determination to remain visible on the global stage despite its isolation.
Russia and North Korea are now more closely bound than at any point in recent decades. The signing of a mutual defense treaty in 2024 formalized their cooperation, cementing a partnership built on shared isolation and defiance of Western powers. For both nations, heavily sanctioned and increasingly shut out of the international system, their alliance represents both necessity and strategy, raising questions about its long-term implications for global security.
