Chandigarh- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing ended with a strange scene. His aides immediately wiped down everything he touched.
Footage on social media showed Kim's staff thoroughly cleaning the back of his chair, armrests, side tables and placing his drinking glass on a tray.
"They picked up the glass from which he drank water, wiped down the chair and parts of the furniture that the Korean leader had touched," said Russian journalist Alexander Yunashev.
Despite these cleaning precautions, the meeting ended on a positive note, after which the two leaders shared tea "very satisfied".
While the purpose behind such forensic-level cleaning is unclear, analysts suggest it reflects Kim’s fear of espionage, whether from Russian security services or China’s surveillance agency. It also reflects broader concerns about preserving his biological signature.
Such precautions are not unique to Kim. Putin himself follows strict biosecurity measures, including having his urine and feces collected and transported by his bodyguards during foreign trips – a practice that has been ongoing since at least 2017.