This combination of photos shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (left) giving a speech at the Supreme People’s Assembly in Pyongyang, North Korea, on January 15, and Russia’s leader Kim Jong Un (left) giving a video speech to commemorate the 31st anniversary of the founding of the country. Showing President Vladimir Putin. Energy giant Gazprom at Novo Ogaryovo official residence on the outskirts of Moscow, Russia, on February 17th.�N�ʐM�/AP News
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un received a car from Russian President Vladimir Putin as a gift “for personal use,” official media reported on Tuesday, a move the Russian government adopts against North Korea. This could violate the United Nations ban agreed upon.
Amid deepening international isolation over Russia’s war with Ukraine and North Korea’s nuclear weapons development, since Chairman Kim Jong-un and President Putin met in September, the two countries have pledged to build close ties and promote exchanges in all fields. did.
According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, the Russian-made car was handed over by Russia to Kim’s aides on February 18.
According to the Korean Central News Agency, Kim’s sister “respectfully conveyed Kim Jong Un’s gratitude to President Putin to the Russian side, stating that this gift clearly demonstrates the special personal relationship between the leaders.” ” he said.
South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was closely monitoring cooperation between Russia and North Korea and called on both countries to comply with U.N. Security Council resolutions.
Lim Soo-seok, a spokesperson for the ministry, said at a press conference that “the Security Council sanctions against North Korea apply to all transport vehicles internationally classified as HS codes 86 to 89 (including luxury cars) to North Korea, regardless of origin. “The supply, sale, and movement of such products to, directly or indirectly, is prohibited.” .
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russia’s state-run RIA news agency that the South Korean leader had received the Aurus vehicle.
According to the automaker’s website, the car is Russia’s first full-size luxury sedan. It is also President Putin’s presidential car. During a visit to Russia’s space launch station in the Far East in September, Kim toured the Aurus Senat limousine and was invited by the Russian leader to ride in the back seat.
Mr. Kim himself traveled to the scene in a Maybach limousine, which he boarded a special train from Pyongyang.
Kim is an avid car enthusiast and is believed to have a large collection of luxury foreign cars that are believed to have been smuggled into the country.
The vehicles he was driving, including a Maybach, several Mercedes limousines, a Rolls-Royce Phantom, and a Lexus sport utility vehicle, are luxury goods prohibited from being exported to North Korea under United Nations Security Council resolutions. Applies to.
North Korea is believed to be supplying Russia with artillery, rockets and ballistic missiles for use in the war against Ukraine.
The Kremlin has neither denied nor confirmed the use of North Korean weapons. North Korea denies accusations of shipping weapons to Russia, which also violates U.N. sanctions.
KCNA separately reported on Tuesday that a delegation of North Korean ruling party officials returned from Russia, and a three-member delegation representing information technology, fisheries and sports departed for Russia.
