North Korean state media reported on Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had presented a car to his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong Un, indicating further improvement in relations between the two nations, which has raised concerns in the United States.
According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), a Russian-made car intended for Kim’s personal use was delivered on Sunday by a Russian delegation.
Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, a senior official in Pyongyang, expressed gratitude to Putin on behalf of her brother, stating that “the gift serves as a clear demonstration of the special personal relations between the top leaders of (North Korea) and Russia,” as reported by KCNA.
Multiple officials familiar with the latest intelligence have informed CNN that US intelligence officials are growing increasingly concerned about the long-term consequences of what seems to be a deepening strategic alliance between North Korea and Russia.
In recent weeks, Russia has been launching North Korean-supplied short-range ballistic missiles targeting Ukrainian locations. This development has raised alarms among US officials, who worry that North Korea might leverage its strengthened ties with Russia to diminish China’s influence.
Such a move could potentially remove a significant restraint on Pyongyang’s nuclear testing program, as some experts believe China has been a crucial factor in controlling North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.
In January, senior North Korean and Russian diplomats convened in Moscow ahead of an anticipated visit to Pyongyang by Putin – a significant event touted by North Korean state media as Putin’s first visit to the North Korean capital in over two decades.
This meeting followed Kim’s summit with Putin in September, during which Kim expressed solidarity with Russia’s actions in Ukraine, stating,
“I will always be standing with Russia.”
The gift of a car from Putin to Kim potentially breaches United Nations sanctions imposed on North Korea due to its nuclear weapons program.
However, despite the embargo on luxury goods sales to North Korea, Kim has been frequently spotted in various high-end vehicles over the years.
Notably, he is often chauffeured in a Mercedes-Maybach Pullman Guard armored limousine, valued at over $1 million.
In 2018, Kim Jong Un made a grand entrance at a meeting with US officials, arriving in a black Rolls-Royce. Earlier that year, the Washington-based Center for Advanced Defense Studies revealed that two armored Mercedes-Maybach S600 Guard vehicles were shipped from the Netherlands to North Korea, likely designated for Kim’s personal use.
The center’s findings also highlighted Pyongyang’s significant importation of luxury vehicles, with over 800 such vehicles brought in between 2015 and 2017, with the majority sourced from Russian companies.
During Kim’s visit to Russia in September of the same year, Putin showcased his own limousine from Russian luxury automaker Aurus to the North Korean leader.
Former US President Donald Trump also presented Kim with a viewing of the presidential Cadillac limousine, fondly referred to as “the Beast,” during their talks in Singapore in 2018.
