North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s visit to Beijing for the 80th anniversary of China’s victory celebrations took an unusual turn when his aides were seen meticulously wiping down items he had used during a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on 3 September.
According to CNN, the incident was captured in a video shared by Russian journalist Yunashev on his Telegram channel, fuelling speculation over Pyongyang’s extreme secrecy surrounding the leader’s health and personal data.
The staff accompanying the North Korean leader meticulously erased all traces of Kim’s presence.
They took the glass he drank from, wiped down the chair’s upholstery, and cleaned the parts of the furniture the Korean leader had touched. pic.twitter.com/JOXVxg04Ym
— Russian Market (@runews) September 3, 2025
The video shows that once the meeting ended, a female aide swiftly removed cups that Kim was believed to have used. A male aide then spent about a minute scrubbing the chair where Kim had sat, along with nearby decorations and furniture, before leaving the room.
While the exact motivation behind the act remains unclear, reports suggested that it could have been an effort to ensure that Kim’s DNA was not left behind.
Special Train With Private Toilet
Japan’s Nikkei newspaper reported that the special armoured train Kim travelled in to reach Beijing was fitted with a personal toilet. This arrangement, according to the report, was specifically to prevent the leakage of excrement that might reveal his health condition or pose risks of assassination.
Nikkei further noted, “Kim Jong-un also has a personal toilet installed in his vehicle and a private bathroom when inspecting military-related facilities or state-run factories within North Korea.”
The practice extends beyond transport and official inspections. Nikkei said that whenever Kim stays at a hotel, his staff take the precaution of cleaning up tableware and eliminating any trace of bodily fluids or DNA material.
A South Korean intelligence source familiar with North Korean affairs told the outlet, “The health information of the supreme leader has a significant impact on the North Korean regime,” adding that Pyongyang has long taken “special efforts to block the leakage of Kim Jong-un’s biometric information, such as hair or excrement.”
