Car gift brings Russia, N Korea closer

– Russian President Vladimir Putin has gifted North Korean leader Kim Jong-un a Russian-made car, Pyongyang’s state media said yesterday, as the two countries bolster ties in areas from tourism to defence.

The gift would violate successive rounds of United Nations sanctions on the North over Kim’s nuclear and other weapons programmes – which were passed with Russian approval – that ban the import of any vehicles or luxury goods into the country.

Kim was “presented with a car made in Russia for his personal use by Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, president of the Russian Federation”, Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

The report did not specify the vehicle’s model, but Seoul-based specialist site NK News reported it was possible the vehicle was an Aurus Senat armoured sedan or limousine.

Kim’s powerful sister, Yo Jong, said the “gift serves as a clear demonstration of the special personal relations between the top leaders” of the two countries, KCNA added.

Since Kim visited Putin last year, Pyongyang has been drawing ever closer to Moscow, with a group of Russian tourists arriving earlier this month for a fourday trip, the first known foreign tour group since before pandemic-linked border closures in 2020.

The US and South Korea have since repeatedly claimed the North shipped weapons to Moscow for use in its war with Ukraine in exchange for Russian help with Kim’s satellite programmes.

The Russian leader is now set to pay a return visit to Pyongyang, both sides have indicated. –