SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has received a car from Russia’s President Putin as a gift “for his personal use,” local media reported on Tuesday.
The two sides have forged closer relations since Kim Jong Un and Putin met in September 2023 and promised to promote exchanges in all fields as their global isolation deepened over war in Ukraine and the North’s nuclear arms development.
Official KCNA news agency reported that the Russian-made car was delivered to Kim’s top aides by the Russia on February 18.
Kim Jong Un Receives Car as Gift from Russian President
Kim Un’s sister “courteously conveyed Kim Jong Un’s thanks to President Putin to the Russian side, adding that the gift serves as a clear show of the special personal ties between the two leaders,” KCNA reported.
Exchanges between North Korea and Russia sides have grown increasingly active and North Korea is believed to be providing rockets, artillery, and ballistic missiles to Russia for use in the war against Ukraine.
Moscow has not rejected nor confirmed its use of North Korean-made arms. North Korea denies the allegations of arms shipment to Russia.
On Tuesday, KCNA also reported that a delegation of North Korea ruling party officials returned from Russia and three delegations, representing fisheries, sports and information technology, departed for Russia.
