North Korea demands US Secretary of State's bodyguard not carry weapons
North Korea demands that the US Secretary of State's bodyguards hand over their weapons and that he not be allowed to bring his favorite interpreter along.
|
Bodyguards accompanying US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (center). Photo:Reuters. |
North Korea's security regulations for US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during his visit to Pyongyang on October 7 were issued 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 U.S. secretary of state said.
North Korea also demanded that his bodyguards surrender their weapons before entering the negotiations. Secretary Pompeo reportedly tried to persuade North Korean officials to ignore 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.
