When one travels, their \u00a0luggage\u00a0 typically includes essentials like clothes, a camera, and perhaps a laptop for entertainment. However, for Kim Jong-un, the Supreme Leader of North Korea, travel logistics take on a rather unique twist. Among his belongings is something that most people wouldn\u2019t consider packing: a personal toilet.<\/a><\/p>\n Kim Jong-un recently made headlines with his visit to China to attend the ceremony marking the 80th anniversary<\/a> of Japan\u2019s surrender during World War II. The visit featured numerous photographs and noteworthy interactions with global leaders such as Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin. This was a chance for Beijing to showcase its military might and \u00a0diplomatic stature\u00a0, but it also spotlighted the extreme measures taken by Kim’s entourage when it comes to maintaining his privacy.<\/p>\n During a public interaction with Putin, a member of Kim’s team was spotted diligently cleaning the chair Kim had just vacated. This observation highlighted not only the meticulous nature of Kim’s officials but also sparked curiosity regarding their motivations. In a video<\/a> released by CNN, an assistant was seen wiping down the armchair just moments after Kim had been seated, an act indicative of the extreme \u00a0security\u00a0 measures surrounding the leader.<\/p>\n A recent report by Nikkei revealed an intriguing aspect of Kim’s travel arrangements: he brings along his own toilet. This piece of information offers insight into a deeper concern regarding \u00a0personal security\u00a0 and intelligence. When traveling, Kim carries a personal toilet not just on luxury trains but, according to sources, also when he visits military bases and factories back home. The \u00a0personal toilet\u00a0 serves a dual purpose: comfort and the prevention of unwanted intelligence collection. During high-stakes meetings like the 2018 summit with South Korea or the historic encounter with the U.S. in Singapore, Kim’s team mobilized a toilet to ensure that no biological remnants could be accessed by foreign powers.<\/p>\n One might wonder about the rationale behind Kim Jong-un’s insistence on having a designated toilet. The underlying concern revolves around \u00a0intelligence\u00a0 gathering. Any sample\u2014be it sweat, hair, or other biological traces\u2014left behind could be exploited by intelligence agencies to ascertain physiological health information. North Korean officials believe that even minute details can present vulnerabilities, thus the extreme precautions.<\/p>\nA Diplomatic Visit to China<\/h2>\n
Personal Toilet: A Status Symbol?<\/h2>\n
The Need for Secrecy<\/h2>\n