Russian FM spokesperson exchanges gifts with North Korean leader’s sister PHOTO

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said she received a vase from Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, as a New Year’s gift, and in response sent a portrait of her painted by Russian artist Nikas Safronov.

“Today, the DPRK Ambassador to Moscow, Shin Hong Chol, gave me a gift from Comrade Kim Yo Jong, Deputy head of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, on the occasion of the New Year! I found out about it just last night,” Zakharova wrote on her Telegram channel.

Zakharova added that despite the “New Year's Eve time constraints,” she turned to Safronov. Together, by choosing a photo as a reference, he was able to paint a singing-style portrait of Kim Yo Jong in one night.

According to her, the portrait reflects the key features of Kim Jong Un’s sister: “tenderness and femininity with strength and determination.”

The gift follows a series of exchanges between the two countries. On October 27, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov presented flowers to his North Korean counterpart Choi Song-hee before the start of talks. Earlier, on July 12, Lavrov visited North Korea, including the Wonsan resort, which has opened for Russian tourists.

By Aghakazim Guliyev