The gift of an Aurus Senat limousine is a sign of the special relationship between the two leaders, officials say
4 hours ago
North Korea’s supreme leader Kim Jong Un has added a new jewel to his crown (or is it a thorn in the UN’s side?) following a state trip to Russia. The gift? A Russian-made Aurus Senat limousine, courtesy of his fellow strongman, Vladimir Putin. While the gesture might seem neighborly, it raises eyebrows considering the UN sanctions currently squeezing North Korea.
Specifically, observers note that the gift may run afoul of a UN resolution initially backed by Russia. This regulation prohibits the provision of luxury items to North Korea and was implemented to urge the nation to relinquish its nuclear weapons program..
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Putin chose to gift Kim the vehicle after Kim’s visit to Russia in September. During a tour of the Vostochny cosmodrome, Kim was offered a ride in Putin’s Senat. Peskov mentioned that Kim expressed admiration for the car, prompting the decision to present him with one, noting that “North Korea is our neighbor, our close neighbor.”
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Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, accepted the Senat on Sunday, as reported by the Associated Press. She remarked that the gift symbolized the special relationship between the leaders. This could be the latest indication of the growing rapport between the two nations.
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Although the openness with which Putin flouted a U.N. resolution with this gift is noteworthy, it may only be the tip of the iceberg. Leaders in the U.S. and South Korea have accused North Korea of supplying Russia with conventional arms to help its war effort in Ukraine. In exchange, they claim that the latter is supplying the former with high-tech weapons technologies, and other support. If that is the case, it would be a violation of a number of U.N. resolutions banning weapons trade with North Korea.
Weapons aside, it’s clear that Russia and North Korea are increasing their cooperation, as both face sanctions from the U.S. and the west more generally. In recent years, Russia and China have blocked attempts to impose tougher sanctions on North Korea over its recent missile tests, which the U.N. prohibits.
The Senat will enter Kim Jong Un’s collection of luxury vehicles, which is said to include Mercedes-Maybachs and others illegally smuggled into the country. He was driving one of those vehicles during his meeting with Putin, in September, which was transported to the visit on a specially-designed train. The Aurus is powered by a 4.4-liter V8 hybrid that was developed with Porsche’s help, and makes 590 hp (440 kW/598 PS).