
Kim Jong-un's opulent palace has been revealed in a series of remarkable photographs which give a tantalising glimpse into the life of the reclusive North Korean leader.

The pictures, taken at an unknown location near the North Korean capital Pyongyang, show his modern residence - complete with pristine gardens and a minimalist interior.

Valery Sharifulin, a Russian journalist, was given unique access to Kim's mansion while Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov visited Pyongyang.

Lavrov met with Kim while a former North Korean spy chief travelled to New York and met with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in an attempt to salvage a summit between President Trump and Kim.

President Donald Trump signaled on Thursday that he still expects to meet with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un on June 12 in Singapore, saying he's 'hopeful' that the summit will happen as scheduled.

He also confirmed that a North Korean delegation would 'probably' be coming to Washington on Friday to hand-deliver a letter from the North Korean dictator.

Kim Jong-un's house: A Russian photojournalist was given access to one of the North Korean dictator's lavish homes at an undisclosed location near Pyongyang. According to the tyrant's former bodyguard Lee Young-kuk, the North Korean leader keeps at least eight separate palaces outside the capital. Although Kim has several palaces, pictures of them are hard to come by because the North Korean government has put in place tight security measures to make sure very few photographs exist

The house boasts sumptuous grounds containing beautiful flowers which Kim can enjoy whilst strolling through the gardens. The Photos were taken by a Russian journalist while Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met the North Korean dictator. It is not known if the meeting took place at this residence

From the atrium there is a far-reaching view down the driveway and out across the open countryside towards the mountains in the distance. Lavrov met with Kim while a former North Korean spy chief travelled to New York and met with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in an attempt to salvage a summit between President Trump and Kim

The two leaders are expected to sit down to negotiate the terms of North Korea's withdrawal from an effort to build a nuclear weapon that could reach the United States.

The Russian photojournalist has also released pictures, taken at locations around Pyongyang, revealing unseen elements of day-to-day life inside the hermit kingdom.

Although Kim has several palaces, pictures of them are hard to come by as the North Korean government has put in place tight security measures to make sure very few photographs exist.

According to the tyrant's former bodyguard Lee Young-kuk, the North Korean leader keeps at least eight separate palaces outside the capital.

During his visit, Lavrov called for sanctions on North Korea to be lifted and invited Kim Jong-un for a meeting in Moscow as he met with the dictator in Pyongyang on Thursday.

Sergei Lavrov was welcomed with open arms by Kim as he flew into the hermit kingdom in an apparent bid to curry favour ahead of a potential summit between North Korea and the US.

'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,' Lavrov said in a press conference.

He also urged the state to hold off on relinquishing their nuclear weapons until tangible action had been taken to lift the economic stranglehold.

Inside, the palace is simply decorated with neutral colours bedecking every wall and very few paintings displayed through the house

The gardens are dominated by an enormous water feature which sprays jets from a fountain over several ornate dolphin sculptures

'This cannot be achieved at one go', he added. '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'.

The meeting was the first ever between the North Korean leader and a Russian official - and Lavrov used the opportunity to invite Kim for a return fixture in Moscow.

'Come to Russia, we'll be very happy to see you,' Lavrov told Kim in remarks released by the Russian foreign ministry.

Last month, North Korea's foreign minister Ri Yong Ho held rare talks with Lavrov in Moscow as Pyongyang moves to improve strained ties with global powers.

Lavrov passed greetings from Russian President Vladimir Putin to Kim, saying he wished him success in the 'major undertakings that have been initiated on the Korean peninsula', the ministry said in a statement.

The tyrant certainly seems to be a fan of high culture as there are several intricate sculptures scattered all around the vast property

The photographers other photos from his trip show North Korean locals in the capital going about their day-to-day business

The photojournalist was allowed access to the state as Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov visited Pyongyang to discuss a potential upcoming Singapore summit with Kim

The meeting between Lavrov and Kim lays bare Russia's desire to involve itself in diplomatic relations between North Korea and the US ahead of a potential summit.

President Trump and Kim had planned to meet in Singapore for a meeting on June 12 to discuss the potential for denuclearisation and greater cooperation between North and South Korea.

Efforts are currently underway to restore the plans after Trump dramatically announced he was pulling out of the summit in a letter to Kim in May.

Kim's right hand man General Kim Yong Chol flew into New York on Wednesday to try and salvage the assembly.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted photos of his working dinner with Kim's right-hand man in New York on Wednesday.

Kim Yong Chol met with Pompeo in Manhattan, where the two dined on 'steak, corn, and cheese,' according to the secretary of state.

He is the most senior North Korean official to visit the United States since 2000, when Vice Marshal Jo Myong Rok traveled to Washington to meet with then-President Bill Clinton in the Oval Office.

Pompeo's talks with Kim Yong Chol - the most critical of three tracks of negotiations currently taking place between the two governments in the U.S., in the heavily fortified Korean Demilitarized Zone, and in Singapore - are aimed at determining whether a meeting between Trump and Kim Jong Un can be restored.

A North Korean traffic officer stands to the side of a road in the country's capital with absolutely no cars passing behind him

A view of a hall at Koryo Hotel in the city centre where guests from around the world are put up in luxurious style

North Korean propaganda posters adorn the public spaces proclaiming messages of support for the nation's controversial nuclear programme