"Unfazed by Grenade Attacks" Biden's Exclusive Car 'The Beast' Sparks Attention

President Joe Biden's vehicle passed the traditional honor guard and entered the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul on the afternoon of the 21st. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] The presidential limousine of U.S. President Joe Biden, who began his second day in Korea, has appeared in downtown Seoul, drawing attention.

On the 21st, President Biden rode in the presidential vehicle "Cadillac One" to visit the Yongsan Government Complex for a summit meeting with President Yoon Suk-yeol.

This vehicle is famously nicknamed "The Beast" due to its large size, measuring 5.5 meters in length and weighing 8 tons. Notably, the door thickness is 20.3 cm, and the weight of the door is said to be equivalent to that of the cockpit door of a Boeing 757 jet. The thickness of the vehicle's undercarriage and bulletproof glass are 12.7 cm and 13 cm, respectively.

Known as one of the safest vehicles in the world, The Beast is heavily armored to withstand ballistic weapons, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and chemical attacks. Inside the vehicle, there are supplies such as blood for transfusions in case the president is injured, oxygen supply equipment, satellite phones, and night vision cameras.

The car doors have no keyholes, and only White House security personnel know how to open them. Additionally, the security vehicles traveling with The Beast are equipped with functions that disrupt surrounding communications.

According to foreign media, the vehicle was manufactured by the American company General Motors (GM), and its price is estimated to be about $1.5 million (approximately 1.9 billion KRW).

Previously, former U.S. President Donald Trump also used The Beast to visit the Blue House during his visit to Korea for the 2019 Korea-U.S. summit. At the 2018 North Korea-U.S. summit, former President Trump showed the interior of the vehicle to Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea. At that time, he opened the car door and gestured to Kim to get in.