Inside North Korea’s Car Culture: The Cars Named by Kim Jong Un

North Korea’s Auto Manufacturing
The cars produced in North Korea
Kim Jong Un even names the vehicles

Despite being one of the most isolated countries in the world and struggling with fundamental food issues, North Korea manufactures its cars. While it’s doubtful whether they can even afford gasoline, it’s reported that the wealthy elite and top-ranking officials use these vehicles.

In North Korea, there’s a domestic manufacturer called Pyeonghwa Motors. It was established in 1998 as a joint venture between South and North Korea, backed by investments from the Unification Church of South Korea. However, since 2012, North Korea has wholly owned it, making it an entirely North Korean car manufacturer.

Emblem Symbolizing Peace
Massive Advertising Campaign Launched

The emblem of Pyeonghwa Motors, whose name seems somewhat out of place in North Korea, features two doves symbolizing peace. It represents the unity and reconciliation of the divided Korean nation. Kim Jong Un has shown keen interest in Pyeonghwa Motors, viewing it as a key enterprise in North Korea. He even went as far as to name the vehicles produced personally.

One such vehicle he named is the four-seater sedan ‘Whistle.’ The Whistle, considered trendy in North Korea, is also used as a code among couples. Exceptionally, the Whistle was heavily promoted in North Korea, appearing on outdoor billboards in Pyongyang. Significant effort has been put into this vehicle, including tax exemption benefits.

Four-Seater Compact Sedan Whistle
Cute Design of the Cuckoo

The Whistle is a four-seater compact sedan based on the Fiat Siena, an Italian car brand. It was assembled using parts imported from Vietnam and began production in 2002. The Whistle has a 1.2-liter gasoline engine and a 1.6-liter gasoline engine. It’s estimated that about 500 units were produced until 2006.

The second vehicle is the Cuckoo. It’s based on the Fiat Doblo LAV, and like the Whistle, its name was inspired by the use of Cuckoo sounds as signals between lovers. The Cuckoo, another name Kim Jong Un gave, began production in 2003. It has a four-cylinder gasoline engine with a maximum output of 60 horsepower. Due to high production costs and low profitability, it was discontinued after a short production period of two years.

Popular Samcheonri
Price of North Korean Cars

There’s also the popular minivan, Samcheonri. It’s based on the Jinbei Hiace, produced by China’s Jinbei. The name Samcheonri, which means “three thousand li” (approximately 930 miles), is inspired by the distance between Onsong County in North Korea’s Hamgyong Province and the southernmost point of South Korea’s Jeju Island. The Samcheonri has a strong sales record in Korea. Production began in 2005; by 2010, it had recorded the highest sales in North Korea.

Next is the Junma, based on the Chairman from SsangYong Motor Company, for which they obtained a production license. This vehicle was produced from 2007 to 2009. It was imported in a semi-assembled state from SsangYong Motor Company and assembled into a finished car for sale in North Korea. Meanwhile, images of a store selling Pyeonghwa Motors vehicles have been captured. Based on a video from 2015, the Samcheonri was priced at 630,000 won, while the Cuckoo ranged from 1 million to 3.4 million won, depending on the model. Considering the North Korean exchange rate at the time, which was 100 won per dollar, these prices were about 30% cheaper than domestic prices. This was due to the meager labor costs in North Korea and the fact that they were sold for domestic use.