Vladimir Putin gave Kim Jong Un a luxury Russian Aurus limousine as a gift because the North Korean leader liked the car when the Russian president showed it to him last year, the Kremlin said on Tuesday.
When Kim visited eastern Russia in September, Putin showed Kim one of the black armored limousines that he uses. Kim sat beside Putin in the car at the Vostochny Cosmodrome and appeared to enjoy it.
"When the head of the DPRK (North Korea) was at the Vostochny cosmodrome, he looked at this car, Putin showed it to him personally, and like many people, Kim liked this car," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said when asked about the gift.
"So this decision was made," Peskov said. "North Korea is our neighbor, our close neighbor, and we intend, and will continue, to develop our relations with all neighbors, including North Korea."
Russia has stepped up ties with North Korea and other countries hostile to the United States such as Iran since the start of the war with Ukraine - relations that are a source of concern to the West.
The United States has accused North Korea of supplying Russia with artillery shells and missiles used in Ukraine. Moscow and Pyongyang deny the U.S. accusations but vowed last year to deepen military relations.
The Russian-made limousine was delivered to Kim's top aides by the Russian side on Feb. 18, North Korea's official KCNA news agency said.
'Special personal relations'
Kim's sister "courteously conveyed Kim Jong Un's thanks to Putin to the Russian side, saying that the gift serves as a clear demonstration of the special personal relations between the top leaders," KCNA reported.
South Korea's foreign ministry said it was closely monitoring the cooperation between Russia and North Korea while urging both countries to comply with U.N. Security Council resolutions.
"Security Council sanctions on North Korea prohibit directly or indirectly supplying, selling or moving all transportation vehicles internationally categorized as HS Code 86 through to 89 regardless of their origin to North Korea including luxury cars," ministry spokesperson Lim Soo-suk told a media briefing.
According to the carmaker's website, the car is Russia's first full-size luxury sedan. It is also Putin's presidential car.
When Kim visited the Vostochny Cosmodrome, Kim himself drove to the site in a Maybach limousine brought onboard a special train he traveled in from Pyongyang.
Kim is believed to be an avid automobile enthusiast and has a large collection of luxury foreign vehicles, which are likely smuggled in.
The Maybach and others he has been seen in including several Mercedes limousines, a Rolls-Royce Phantom and a Lexus sports utility vehicle fall under luxury goods that U.N. Security Council resolutions ban from export to North Korea.
On Tuesday, KCNA separately reported that a delegation of North Korea ruling party officials returned from Russia and three delegations, representing information technology, fisheries and sports, departed for Russia.
