Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un were seen laughing and joking in a Russian-made Aurus limousine. As they cruised around Pyongyang last week, highlighting their strengthened anti-Western alliance. The luxury sedan, unveiled in 2018, was intended to symbolize Russia’s domestic prowess and reduce reliance on imported technology and goods.
However, customs records reveal that the company manufacturing the Aurus limousine relies heavily on imported parts, many of which originate from South Korea, described by Kim as his country’s “primary foe.” This reliance on foreign technology continues despite Western efforts to isolate Russia from global supply chains as punishment for its invasion of Ukraine.
During Putin’s visit, his first to North Korea in nearly a quarter of a century, the two leaders took turns driving the armored limousine, demonstrating the close ties between their nuclear-armed nations. Russia imported equipment and components worth at least $34 million between 2018 and 2023 for assembling Aurus cars and motorcycles, according to customs records obtained by Reuters.
The imported parts included car body components, sensors, programmable controllers, switches, welding equipment, and other items worth almost $15.5 million from South Korea. Parts were also sourced from China, India, Turkey, Italy, and other EU countries. Notably, foreign supplies for Aurus continued to flow after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with goods worth almost $16 million, including $5 million from South Korea, imported since February 2022.
While it remains unclear which specific imported parts ended up in the car gifted to Kim, the imports did not violate sanctions. Aurus LLC was sanctioned by the United States in February 2024. The Aurus sedan was developed by the Russian state-owned research institute NAMI in partnership with Russian carmaker Sollers, which has since sold its stake.