During Pyongyang visit by South Korean delegates, an envoy risked the ire of Kim Jong, by pointing out to his smoking habit and asked him to quit cigarettes.
Chung Eui Yong, the director of South Korean National Security Council, told Kim Jong to consider quitting cigarettes over a dinner in Pyongyang last month, Sky News reported.
Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun reports that Kim was asked: "How about stopping smoking? It's bad for your health."
As per the reports, Kim Jong is infamous among his staff for being short-tempered. While Kim’s delegates were left frozen with terror, there was somebody who really found it amusing- Kim Jong Un’s wife Ri Sol Ju.
The blunt question caught the lady in good humour, who is reported to have responded “I always ask him to quit smoking, but he won't listen to me.” Her response lightened the moment that could otherwise turn awkward.
Kim is often seen holding cigarette in his hand during all his visits and also during nuclear tests, Sky News reported.
Chung is elder to Kim Jong in age and this could be the probable reason why Chung did not hesitate in asking Kim to quit smoking.
The South ‘s first visit to North after the year 2007 was to push talks between Kim Jong and US president Trump. The talks supposedly over denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula will be held by May.