More than a gesture: Kim Jong-un's mannerisms after Hanoi summit collapse point to a humiliated, more wary leader Behavioral habits Anxiety from youth Singapore signals Changed tendencies

Analysis of the North Korean leader's body language demonstrates a regression to the insecure behavior that characterized his early reign. [A STUDY OF KIM JONG-UN 5] As North Korean leader Kim Jong-un strolled through the gardens of the Metropole Hanoi in Vietnam on Feb. 28, 2019, after a one-on-one meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, smiles crossed his face — seemingly at the sound of chirping birds. He walked ahead of Trump on several occasions and smiled softly whenever Trump spoke, even before interpreters relayed the remarks. Near the end of the walk, Kim clasped his hands behind his back and entered the meeting venue ahead of Trump. But his expression changed after taking his seat for the expanded summit session. Among the participants sat John Bolton, Trump's hawkish national security adviser. Kim likely sensed instinctively that if Trump intended to give him what he wanted, Bolton would not be sitting at the table. Then came a question one minute and 18 seconds after the opening remarks began. "Did you discuss human rights issues?" Kim remained silent. Trump answered, "We are discussing everything." From that moment on, Kim's hand gestures seemed to speak instead. Kim took out a folded piece of paper to check its contents, then placed his interlocked hands on the table in his signature manner. Soon, his left thumb began moving busily. This was followed by questions regarding the declaration of an end to the 1950-53 Korean War and the establishment of liaison offices. Kim repeatedly moved his left thumb up and down without pause, almost as though pressing an invisible button, while touching his right hand. When Trump began speaking further about liaison offices, Kim interrupted him. "I would appreciate having more time to continue our discussions," Kim said. "Every minute is precious for us." Although he smiled while speaking, his thumb moved so restlessly that it made onlookers anxious. The public portion of the remarks ended after just four minutes and second seconds. "When people become anxious, the limbic system attempts to ease that tension in various ways, which often appear as self-soothing behaviors," said Kim Yeo-jung, head of personal branding company Jiem and Gitdum (JNG), which specializes in nonverbal communication. "The brain has far more neural connections with the hands than with most other parts of the body. When the brain sends signals to calm down, the hands react immediately, producing movements that create comfort. Kim Jong-un's finger movements in Hanoi are a classic example of self-touch behavior aimed at reducing anxiety." According to Kim Yeo-jung, although the North Korean leader said little, "his body was already emitting uncontrollable signals of uncontrollable stress." The JoongAng Ilbo commissioned JNG to jointly analyze video footage of Kim Jong-un released between 2012, immediately after he took power, and 2025. JNG Company tracked changes in his facial expressions, gestures and posture during major speeches, field inspections and summits with the leaders of South Korea, the United States, China and Russia. The total amount of analyzed footage alone reached 315 hours. According to the researchers, Kim Jong-un's subconscious body language often revealed his psychological state more clearly than his words. JNG's Kim Yeo-jung said the anxiety-driven behavior Kim Jong-un displayed at the Hanoi "no-deal" summit bore a striking resemblance to that seen during Kim's early years in power in 2012. Born as the son of late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's third partner, Ko Yong-hui, with whom he never formally married, and having spent a secluded childhood, Kim Jong-un exhibited behavior indicative of a legitimacy complex immediately after assuming power. The execution of his uncle Jang Song-thaek in late 2013 and the assassination of his half-brother Kim Jong-nam in 2017 have often been interpreted as efforts to eliminate potential threats. Kim Jong-un's mannerisms grew more confident o...