Putin Gives Kim a Car in Honor of Their Special Relationship

The gift underscores the close ties between Russia and North Korea, state media says
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Feb 20, 2024 12:00 AM CST
Putin Gives Kim a Car in Honor of Their Special Relationship
This combination photo shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, at the Supreme People's Assembly in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Jan. 15, 2024, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence, outside Moscow, Russia, on Feb. 17, 2024.   (AP Photo, File)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has gifted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a Russian-made car for his personal use in a demonstration of their special relationship, North Korea's state media reported Tuesday. The report didn't say what kind of vehicle it was or how it was shipped. But observers said it could violate a UN resolution that bans supplying luxury items to North Korea in an attempt to pressure the country to abandon its nuclear weapons, the AP reports. Kim's sister, Kim Yo Jong, and another North Korean official accepted the gift Sunday and she conveyed her brother's thanks to Putin, the Korean Central News Agency said. Kim Yo Jong said the gift showed the special personal relationship between the leaders, the report said.

North Korea and Russia have boosted their cooperation significantly since Kim traveled to Russia last September for a summit with Putin. During Kim's visit to Russia's main spaceport, Putin showed the North Korean leader his personal Aurus Senat limousine and Kim sat in its backseat. According to Russia's state-run Tass news agency, Aurus was the first Russian luxury car brand and it's been used in the motorcades of top officials including Putin since he first used an Aurus limousine during his inauguration ceremony in 2018. Kim, 40, is known to possess many foreign-made luxury cars believed to have been smuggled into his country in breach of the UN resolution.

(More Vladimir Putin stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X