North Korea demands US Secretary of State's bodyguard not carry weapons

North Korea's security regulations for US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during his visit to Pyongyang on October 7 were outlined by Vice Chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea Kim Yong-chol, who is in charge of negotiating with the US on the nuclear issue, according toRT.

North Korean officials made it clear that Mr Pompeo's preferred interpreter was not welcome in the discussions, a reporter traveling with the US secretary of state said.

North Korea also demanded that his bodyguards surrender their weapons before entering the talks. Secretary Pompeo reportedly tried to persuade North Korean officials to waive this rule, jokingly calling his bodyguards "big guys."

Unusual security measures are not uncommon in North Korea. Bodyguards protecting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un must always form a safety circle around him, even when he is in a car and they run alongside him on foot.