Putin Gifted Kim Jong Un A Russian-Made Car, But It's Packed With South Korean Parts: Report

The Russian-made luxury car gifted by President Vladimir Putin to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is reportedly assembled with millions of dollars worth of parts from South Korea.

What Happened: The Aurus LLC., the company behind the car, imported components worth at least $34 million from 2018 to 2023, including parts from South Korea, as per customs records seen by Reuters.

The imports continued even after Russia’s Ukraine invasion, with goods worth almost $16 million, including $5 million from South Korea, imported since February 2022.

Despite the sanctions imposed on Aurus LLC by the United States in February, the company’s imports were not in violation of the sanctions. The Aurus sedan, a symbol of Russia’s domestic prowess and reduced dependence on imported technology was used by Putin and Kim during the former’s recent visit to North Korea.

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The car was developed by the Russian state-owned research institute NAMI in partnership with Russian carmaker Sollers, which has since sold its stake. The company launched official production in Russia’s Tatarstan region in 2021 and plans to start additional production in St Petersburg later this year.

Why It Matters: The gift of the Aurus limousine comes amid escalating geopolitical tensions and a series of strategic moves by both Russia and North Korea.

Last week, Putin signed a mutual defense pact with Kim Jong Un during his first visit to North Korea in 24 years, marking a significant shift in Russia’s international alliances. This pact has rekindled the highest level of East-West tensions since the Cold War era.

Furthermore, North Korea has recently claimed success in a multi-warhead missile test, which South Korea has dismissed as “deception and exaggeration.” This test was reportedly conducted using the first-stage, solid-fuel engine of an intermediate-range ballistic missile.

Additionally, North Korea has criticized the United States for its increasing military aid to Ukraine and the deployment of an aircraft carrier to the Korean peninsula. This has further escalated tensions in the region and has been viewed as a show of support for Russia.

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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Kaustubh Bagalkote