Does Putin’s luxury car gift to Kim Jong break UN sanctions?

In a recent diplomatic gesture, Russian President Vladimir Putin presented North Korean leader Kim Jong Un with a luxurious Russian-made limousine. The move is sparking both intrigue and controversy on the international stage.

The gifted Aurus Senat, crafted by Russia’s renowned auto-maker NAMI, measures seven meters long and boasts features including armored protection and opulent amenities.

Yet, amid this high-profile exchange, questions arise over its implications within the framework of UN sanctions imposed on North Korea. This seemingly innocuous gesture takes on deeper significance against the backdrop of geopolitical tensions and the delicate balance of international relations.

The facts

According to North Korean state media, the luxury sedan for Kim Yong Un’s personal use was delivered to his top aides on Sunday.

Like many others, Kim Jong Un was in awe of the Aurus limousine that Putin is often chauffeured around in. Putin allowed Kim to get inside the back seat of his Aurus Senat limousine during the latter’s visit to Russia’s Far East last year. Kim had driven there in his Maybach limousine, which had been brought there on a dedicated train from the North.

South Korea condemned the action while recalling the UN’s final approval of the toughest sanctions on North Korea in two decades, which reflected growing anger at Pyongyang’s nuclear test and rocket launch. The unveiling by North Korea was in defiance of a ban on all nuclear-related activity. Interestingly, the sanction was passed with Russian’s approval.

Meanwhile, the two ‘isolated leaders’ are in talks of deepening military, economic, and geopolitical cooperation.

Following Kim’s last visit to Russia, the two nations have strengthened their relationship with the West keenly watching on. This was evident when a group of Russian tourists arrived in Pyongyang earlier this month for a four-day trip.

The arguments

Among the many restrictions by the UN, was the ban on the import of any vehicle or luxury goods into the country. Such measures were put in place to put pressure on the nation to give up its sizable nuclear weapons stockpile.

However, Putin disregarded the sanction and sent the car to North Korea. Again, despite UN sanctions against both countries, North Korea is believed to be providing Russia with artillery, rockets, and ballistic missiles for the conflict. Both parties deny violating the restrictions.

The UN is anticipated to take offense at the gesture.

Both North Korea and Russia have claimed that they have not broken any sanctions by giving Kim a gift, even as news of Putin’s present spreads around the West.

“I think champions of international legal purity should be asked what damage is caused by illegal sanctions when, because of the West’s sanctions war, people the world over cannot secure food, medicines and vaccines,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova is said to have posted on Telegram.

“The gift serves as a clear demonstration of the special personal relations between the top leaders” of the two countries, Kim’s sister Yo Jong said in a report by the North Korean state news agency KCNA.

Concerns regarding the long-term consequences of what appears to be a new level of strategic coordination between North Korea and Russia are becoming more and more pressing, US intelligence told CNN.

Due to different issues, the two nations’ relations with the US remain tense on the back of North Korea’s nuclear weapons and Russia’s conflict with US partner Ukraine.

As this diplomatic exchange unfolds, the international community, particularly Western nations, closely monitors the evolving relationship between Russia and North Korea.