Putin’s Luxury Gift: North Korea’s Kim Jong Un Receives Russian-Made Car

Eugene Park 2024-02-20 PM 10:22 Views

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Kim Jong Un, leader of North Korea, is riding in the back seat of Aurus, the personal car of Russian President Putin, at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia’s Amur region. Captured from Korean Central Television. / Newsis

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un received a car as a gift from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

North Korean state-run Korean Central News Agency reported on the 20th that the “Russian-made personal car” sent by President Putin to Secretary Kim was delivered to Party Secretary Park Jong Chon and Deputy Party Leader Kim Yo Jong from the Russian side on the 18th.

The agency added that Kim Yo Jong “graciously conveyed Kim Jong Un’s words of thanks to Comrade President Putin to the Russian side.”

The agency did not mention the specific model of the car. Previously, President Putin introduced the Russian luxury car Aurus to Kim during his visit to Russia last year. Aurus is a luxury car brand known as the “Russian version of Rolls-Royce.” The car is known to have cost at least 12.4 billion rubles (approximately $127 million) in design and production.

At that time, Kim Jong Un also showed interest by riding in the back seat.

However, President Putin’s car gift might significantly violate the UN Security Council’s (UNSC) sanctions against North Korea. Not only does it appear to be a luxury item whose transfer to North Korea is prohibited, but the direct or indirect supply, sale, or transfer of transportation means to North Korea has also been banned under UNSC Resolution 2397, adopted in December 2017.