UN Sanctions Bypassed: Kim Jong Un Adds This New Luxurious Ride to His Garage

Despite United Nations sanctions banning the import of luxury goods to North Korea, Kim Jong Un appears to have acquired a new luxury vehicle. Photographs released by state-controlled media show the North Korean leader standing next to a Mercedes Maybach GLS 600, a high-end SUV. The vehicle was observed emerging from Kim Jong Un’s armoured train on August 9, 2024, during his visit to flood-affected areas in Uiju County, North Pyongan Province.

The Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 is a top-class model recently launched in South Korea, with prices ranging from $175,500 to $227,400 (approximately ₹1.9 crore). Kim Jong Un’s car collection already includes a Rolls Royce Phantom, a Mercedes-Maybach S600 Guard, a fifth-generation US-made Cadillac Escalade, and a Lexus armoured vehicle. This luxury fleet exists despite the UN’s restrictions on North Korea’s procurement of high-end goods, which have been in place since 2006 in response to Pyongyang’s nuclear tests.

In a related note, Russian President Vladimir Putin, on a rare overseas trip, visited Pyongyang in June 2024. During this visit, Putin and Kim Jong Un were seen driving in a Russian-made Aurus limousine, which was gifted to Kim earlier in March 2024.