Providing a rare glimpse at North Korea's secretive leader Kim Jong Il now on a train tour in eastern Russia, a senior Moscow official has divulged details about Kim including a preference for lighter food and that he has a "strong" handshake, DPA reported.
Interfax on Friday cited Viktor Ishaev, a special representative of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, as describing his week travelling with Kim as he toured Russia's eastern provinces by armoured train.
Ishaev's comments belied Russian television images from the trip showing a seemingly tired Kim needing the arm of an assistant to enter and exit vehicles.
The reclusive North Korean leader has a "strong, firm handshake," he said.
Offering to reporters in the east Siberian city Khabarovsk a rare detailed description of Kim's personal train, Ishaev said its interior was "simple but not Spartan" with decoration in metal and beige tones.
The entire length of Kim's 17-carriage train is equipped with modern "high speed communications" and - unlike most rolling stock moving along Russia's Trans-Siberian railroad - the North Korean train's ride is "extremely smooth ... and suitable for work," Ishaev said.
Kim for most meals aboard the train ate seafood and vegetables, while at events with Russian officials preferred simpler local fare like beet soup, he said.
Medvedev met with Kim on Wednesday for talks on Pyongyang's Korea's nuclear arsenal and possible Kremlin help to North Korea's economy and military.
Kim appeared most interested in developing hydroelectric power with the assistance of Russian engineers and a capacity increase to the single rail link between Russia and North Korea, Ishaev said.
The sides also discussed possible seasonal work by North Korean farmers, who are chronically short of arable land, in Russia's Far East to raise potatoes and soybeans, according to the report.
Kim and his delegation departed North Korea on Saturday and traveled some 4,000 kilometres by rail to meet with Medvedev in the central Siberia town Ulan-Ude.
The North Korean leader will return home via China, according to news reports.
Russia's government has kept most details of Kim's visit, particularly the armoured train's planned itinerary, a secret. Police detained a Japanese TV crew on Tuesday for attempting to record the passage of Kim's train.
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