An unusual scene was captured by cameras shortly after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met with Vladimir Putin, on the sidelines of events in Beijing commemorating Japan’s surrender in World War II.
The meeting concluded with both leaders appearing satisfied. Immediately afterward, North Korean staff entered the room and carefully cleaned all the furniture that Kim Jong Un had touched, while also removing his glass. As it appeared, their goal was to eliminate every trace of the leader’s DNA.
In a video posted on Telegram, a worker can be seen meticulously cleaning the chair where Kim sat, the wooden armrests, and the side table next to it. At the same time, a colleague removed his glass on a tray.
“They destroyed all traces of his presence,” commented Russian journalist Alexander Yunashev, adding: “They took the glass he drank from, wiped the chair fabric and all the spots he touched.” However, both leaders left smiling to enjoy tea.
It’s unclear whether the procedure was done on Kim’s orders, out of fear of Russian or Chinese intelligence services. However, he’s not the only leader who takes such measures. According to the Daily Mail, Vladimir Putin’s bodyguards collect his urine and feces in special sealed bags, which are transported to Moscow in briefcases. This practice has been implemented since 2017 to prevent access to health information through bodily fluids.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s aides meticulously sanitize his presence after he leaves a room. They wipe down the chairs he sits and remove everything he touches to, reportedly, prevent foreign intelligence from collecting his DNA or biological traces.
Video source: @runews pic.twitter.com/5X4LEZYKXM
— Tawqeer Hussain (@tawqeerhussain) September 3, 2025
Exchange of pleasantries between the two leaders
South Korea reports that Kim has sent approximately 15,000 soldiers to fight alongside Russia, with casualties estimated between 600 and 2,000.
After the grand military parade, both leaders boarded the same vehicle and were driven to an official guesthouse for private talks.
“If there’s anything I can or should do for you and the Russian people, I consider it my duty as a brotherly obligation,” Kim told Putin. The Russian president, in turn, addressed him as “Dear Chairman of State Affairs” and expressed his warm wishes.
Putin emphasized that Russia-North Korea relations have now acquired a “special, friendly and allied character” and praised the North Korean special forces who, he said, “fought courageously and heroically.”
Kim’s presence in Beijing, in his first known trip to China since the pandemic, gave him the opportunity to meet both Xi and Putin, as well as more than 20 other leaders. Analysts believe his participation strengthens his image as a nuclear power leader who has the support of powerful allies.
