A North Korean defector who met Kim Jong-un on seven occasions has disclosed the strict protocols that people must observe when meeting the leader. Lee Il-gyu, a former diplomat who served as deputy director in the North Korean foreign ministry, described the training and rules required for any audience with Kim.
The revelations come amid reports that Kim, 42, had died following a brain haemorrhage. The hermit nation's English-language news site Pyongyang Times also went offline, but North Korean state media responded with photos of Kim at an exhibition, appearing alive and well.
First encounter with the leader
In November 2018, Il-gyu handled on-site coordination for Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel's visit to Pyongyang. The two-day schedule included discussions with Kim, a banquet at Mokran House and a performance at the May Day Stadium. Il-gyu said his interactions with the despot were largely limited to responding to Kim's supplementary questions, such as which aircraft the Cubans travelled on, what cuisine they preferred, and the nation's population figures.
In a translation featured in a collaborative video for Dimple Video and The NK Guys on YouTube, Il-gyu described his first meeting with Kim: "The first time was at the airport. In the VIP waiting room, my whole body was tight with nerves. The first thing I said, I could hear my own voice shaking as I spoke. But it only lasted a moment. If I'd stayed that tense, I couldn't have done my job properly. And failing at that job carries serious consequences, so I pulled myself together fast. Anyway, at first, I was extremely nervous."
Observing cruelty and humanity
Il-gyu maintained that his impression "wasn't quite" aligned with what North Korean media typically portrays, in that it resembles "meeting a God", but it also "didn't feel like ordinary contact" between two people. He described how every instant during those days was filled with tension. "What struck me most", he said, "or rather, in those short two days, I saw Kim Jong-un's cruelty, and I also saw an ordinary human being."
Il-gyu stated that Kim possesses the ability to laugh and even demonstrate "consideration", yet he also observed directly how "cruel and how terrifying" an individual wielding absolute power can be. He recalled a 60-year-old interpreter facing discipline after annoying Kim and "cutting in" while he was speaking. Kim allegedly labelled him an "insolent man" merely for fulfilling his responsibilities as a translator, and insisted he never be permitted near him again.
The interpreter was removed immediately but escaped execution owing to a brother-in-law employed within the Organisation and Guidance Department. He was ultimately released following "criticism sessions", a procedure that entailed writing self-criticisms for an entire week. Il-gyu stated: "At the time, we honestly thought the man's life was over. One word of criticism from Kim Jong-un changes a person's fate."
Training and strict rules
Il-gyu revealed that anyone granted an audience with Kim must undergo a month of specialist training and outlined the stringent rules they are obliged to observe. "The most basic ones cover speech and conduct. So don't fidget, don't sway, no unnecessary movements. And don't look Kim Jong-un directly in the face for any length of time. And if he turns and comes your way, step aside politely. Don't scramble or panic. Move aside politely and carry yourself with composure. And as for speaking, before Kim Jong-un asks you a question, you must never speak to him on your own initiative or volunteer any show of excitement. Absolutely not."
He added: "You answer only when he asks, and that answer can't be like the way I'm talking now, rambling on with unnecessary detail. Short, concise, and as accurate as possible. Above all, never pretend to know something you don't. Everything around him is recorded."
Il-gyu described how the regime frames the recording procedure as "compiling the chronicle of revolutionary history", with secretaries following his every movement and documenting his statements, while stressing that complete honesty is compulsory. He further disclosed that distinguishing oneself in a favourable way is also prohibited, meaning no flattery or "forcing a fake smile" is allowed. Providing his overall evaluation of Kim, he underlined that the leader remains simply a "human", yet no domestic power within North Korea exists that can hold him accountable.
