The world has always seen North Korea's communist leader as "a hermit poor in place obscure", to borrow a phrase from Sir Walter Raleigh. Not so, said Mr Kim Jong-il yesterday, on the second day of a North-South Korea summit which is bringing fresh surprises by the hour.
"Some Europeans say I live like a hermit," he complained to President Kim Dae-jung of South Korea, at the start of their second round of talks. "I've been to China, Indonesia and many countries. But your visit has allowed me to break out of seclusion. I thank you for that."
He added: "Westerners seem to have been very curious about why I live like a hermit. And now, with your visit, they've got the answer."
As if to confound a generation of Korea-watchers who have described him as reclusive and painfully shy, Mr Kim Jong-il chatted and made jokes with his visitor as confidently as any world leader posing for a photo-opportunity in the presence of dozens of fawning aides.
President Kim reacted with some bemusement, and evident relief. The small talk was the message. How could the North continue demonising South Korea's leaders after this?
From the start on Tuesday, the new Mr Kim Jong-il has thrilled the South Koreans as a Stalinist leader with human characteristics. They were prepared for coolness and erratic behaviour.
What they got on arrival was graciousness, with Mr Kim Jongil turning up at the airport and "giving face" to his counterpart by greeting him personally. Then his remark yesterday casually revealed a closely guarded state secret: he travelled secretly abroad.
So just when was he in Indonesia? No record exists of a visit there, though a computer archives search revealed that he had been expected in Jakarta for a non-aligned conference in 1992.
The two leaders also chatted about kimchi, Korea's popular spiced cabbage, and the South Korean President said he had some cold buckwheat noodles for lunch, a renowned North Korean dish. "You have to slow down when you eat buckwheat noodles," said Mr Kim Jong-il.
Old habits die hard for a leader used to giving on-the-spot guidance on just about everything.