North Korea pictures: Kim’s house REVEALED - citizens starve but despot lives like KING
NORTH Korea is the world’s most secretive state but life in Kim Jong-un’s kingdom has been revealed like never before with the release of new photographs - with the depot shown living like a king even as his people starve.
North Korea was captured in stunning new images by Russian journalist Valery Sharifulin, who accompanied Vladimir Putin’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov on a trip to the hermit state this week.
Mr Sharifulin was granted almost complete access during the high-profile trip - including incredibly an incredibly rare visit to Kim Jong-un’s home.
Kim is believed to own almost a dozen houses in the city, with details purposefully restricted due to security fears.
The house visited by Mr Sharifulin was palatial in nature with huge, pristine gardens filled with neatly trimmed lawns and beautiful, colourful flower beds.
Luxury cars were shown parked outside and in huge garages as fountains sprung up from a private lake.
And several Renaissanse-style sculptures were visible in his home, showing an appreciation for high art.
He also travelled around the North Korean capital of Pyongyang, capturing everyday citizens as they went about their day.
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However on closer inspection these images are likely to have been staged by Mr Sharifulin’s North Korean hosts.
Citizens are shown wearing sharp suits and high heels, while a crowd of Pyongyang residents left floral tributes at statues of the Kim dynasty.
And the photos captured the moments Mr Lavrov met Kim and other high-ranking North Korean officials.
READ MORE: NORTH KOREA PHOTOS: Kim's kingdom as never seen before
At a press conference following the meeting, Mr Lavrov said - in contrast to the US stance - sanctions must be needed and immediate denuclearisation cannot be expected.
He said: “It is absolutely obvious that, as we start discussions on how to resolve the nuclear problem on the Korean Peninsula, it is understood that the solution cannot be comprehensive without the lifting of sanctions.
“This cannot be achieved at one go. There can be no immediate denuclearisation, this should be done step by step and all sides should go half-way during every single phase of this process.”