SEOUL — North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been seen using a new Mercedes-Benz SUV, challenging international sanctions that prohibit luxury imports to the country. The vehicle, believed to be a top-class Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 4MATIC, was recently spotted in photographs published by the Korean Central News Agency.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the photos showed the black SUV on a special train during Kim's visit last week to flood-affected areas in Uiju County, North Phyongan province. This model, launched in April in South Korea, carries a hefty price tag of 279 million won (US$204,000). Kim's continued use of high-end luxury vehicles like this Mercedes-Benz is in direct violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions that ban the supply, sale, and transfer of luxury goods to North Korea.
Kim, known for his preference for Mercedes vehicles, has consistently appeared in various high-end models, including the Mercedes-Maybach S-class limousines, disregarding the ongoing international sanctions related to North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.