Luxury Cars Over 100 Million Won Each Line Up
New Models Appear, Showing North Korea's Import Capability
Ignoring Sanctions... Possible Arms Trade Too
Chosun Central TV reported on the 17th that the completion ceremony for the second phase of residential houses in the Hwaseong district of Pyongyang was held on the 16th, attended by Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Following the German Mercedes-Benz Maybach and the Japanese Lexus vehicles, a luxury sports utility vehicle (SUV) from Toyota has also been newly spotted in the security convoy of North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un. North Korea's unveiling of vehicles priced well over 100 million won each has raised concerns that it is disregarding international sanctions against the country.
The U.S.-based North Korea specialist media NK News reported that after analyzing footage broadcast by Korean Central TV when Chairman Kim visited Kim Il-sung Military University on the 92nd anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Army on the 25th, six out of the 18 foreign-made vehicles in the security convoy were Toyota Land Cruiser 300 series from Japan.
These vehicles are known to cost over $80,000 (approximately 110 million won) each.
On that day, Chairman Kim rode in the Aurus limousine, known as the "Russian Rolls-Royce," gifted by Russian President Vladimir Putin in February.
Surrounding him were two German Mercedes-Benz luxury SUVs, Maybach GLS 600, two Japanese Lexus LX SUVs, two American Ford Transit vans, and five older Mercedes sedans.
Such luxury vehicles are banned from being imported into North Korea under United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions. Nevertheless, North Korea's public display of multiple luxury vehicles through Korean Central TV is interpreted as an attempt to flaunt the ineffectiveness of the sanctions.
North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un made a congratulatory visit to Kim Il-sung Military University on the 92nd anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army on the 25th, according to Korean Central TV on the 26th. The Aurus vehicle (center) carrying Chairman Kim is heading to the university escorted by security vehicles that appear to be new Toyota Land Cruisers. [Korean Central TV screen] [Image source=Yonhap News]
In fact, last December, North Korea revealed Chairman Kim's exclusive Maybach GLS 600 vehicle, which retails domestically for over 260 million won, and even broadcast scenes of high-ranking officials from the party, government, and military arriving at meetings in Mercedes-Benz's top-tier S-Class sedans.
As North Korea continues to violate sanctions, South Korea and the United States have increased the severity of their sanctions, but their effectiveness remains limited. There are also voices suggesting that cooperation between North Korea and Russia, especially in recent weapons transactions, has created loopholes in the sanctions regime.
NK News explained that although the timing and methods of North Korea's importation of foreign vehicles are unclear, Chairman Kim's frequent introduction of new models demonstrates the country's capability to evade sanctions and import such items.
The problem is that this could also imply North Korea's ability to import not only luxury passenger cars but also weapons and related production equipment. North Korea is suspected of continuing missile weapons transactions, technology transfers, and cooperation on weapons of mass destruction with countries such as Russia and Iran.
North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un made a congratulatory visit to Kim Il Sung Military University on the 92nd anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army on the 25th, according to Korean Central TV on the 26th. The Aurus vehicle (center) carrying Chairman Kim is heading to the university escorted by security vehicles that appear to be new Toyota Land Cruisers. [Korean Central TV screen] [Image source=Yonhap News]
South Korea and the United States emphasize that "all UN member states have an obligation to strictly comply with the UNSC sanctions resolutions against North Korea," but the expert panel of the UN Security Council's North Korea Sanctions Committee, which monitors sanctions, is scheduled to conclude its activities next month, raising concerns that gaps in enforcement may widen for the time being.
The expert panel is a sanctions monitoring body that North Korea is also aware of.
Kim Eun-chul, North Korea's Deputy Minister for U.S. Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, warned in a statement released to Korean Central News Agency on the 25th that "As the illegal entity that has been engaged in monitoring the implementation of UN sanctions against the DPRK for over ten years faces collapse, the United States is desperately trying to patch up the broken structure of sanctions pressure that has been exhausted."
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