Russian delegation ejected from meeting room ahead of Putin-Kim talks
A delegation of Russian ministers, who arrived in Pyongyang with president Putin, was asked to leave the negotiation room at the request of a North Korean official. The official was reportedly upset because the Russian president's entourage entered the room before North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, reports The Moscow Times.
The event was broadcasted live by North Korean media, covering Putin's visit.
Those forced to leave the room adorned with Russian and North Korean flags included Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, and Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Saveliev. Lavrov, who was the first to enter and seated himself at the table, complained of some stains on his clothes. Manturov and Saveliev sat next to Lavrov. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov, Minister of Health Mikhail Murashko, and the head of Roscosmos Yury Borisov were also seen on the footage.
"Please move to the hall," an off-camera North Korean official ordered. A puzzled Russian representative responded, "Why did we come in here then? You should have warned us earlier…"
"Our leader will enter first," explained the North Korean official. At this moment, the live stream cut off, later resuming with footage of an empty meeting room where the expanded Russian-Korean talks led by Putin and Kim Jong Un soon began.
On Wednesday, June 19th, during their meeting in Pyongyang, Kim Jong Un and Putin signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement between the two countries.