North Korea just isn’t solely a mysterious nation, but in addition a rustic of contradictions. A latest report described a 22-year-old man being executed for listening to and sharing Okay-pop songs originating from South Korea. Nonetheless, the limousine that Russian President Vladimir Putin gifted to North Korean chief Kim Jong-un throughout his latest journey to Pyongyang has elements made in South Korea, North Korea’s “fundamental enemy.”
The Aurus limousine that Putin and Kim took turns driving was certainly made in Russia. Nonetheless, in keeping with a Reuters report, customs data reveal that the carmaker makes use of thousands and thousands of {dollars} price of elements imported from South Korea.
The Aurus, a black armored automobile, was the primary prop within the public relations train organized by Putin and Kim. It’s ironic that the much-hyped luxurious automobile had elements sourced from South Korea, a rustic that Kim Jong-un has described as North Korea’s “worst enemy.”
NORTH KOREA EXECUTES MAN OVER Okay-POP SONGS
North Korean authorities 22-year-old man publicly executed for listening to and sharing Okay-pop music and filmsin keeping with a human rights report launched by South Korea’s Ministry of Unification.
The person, from South Hwanghae province, was executed in 2022 after being discovered responsible of listening to 70 South Korean songs, watching three movies and sharing them. Nonetheless, the report has solely not too long ago emerged.
This was a violation of North Korea’s 2020 regulation banning “reactionary ideology and tradition,” a part of a broader marketing campaign to guard residents from Western influences.
The suppression of South Korean popular culture, together with Okay-pop and Okay-dramas, is seen as a approach to stop the corrupting affect of Western tradition.
This contains cell phone inspections and extreme punishments for actions deemed “reactionary.” These actions embrace sporting white clothes for brides, grooms carrying brides, sporting sun shades or utilizing wine glasses to drink alcohol.
There are additionally bans on “capitalist” style traits, corresponding to skinny denims and T-shirts with overseas languages on them.
Regardless of Kim Jong-un’s aversion to Western and South Korean tradition, which he believes impacts the nation’s cultural integrity, he was photographed inside an Aurus Limousine automotive given to him by Russian President Vladimir Putin, a automobile that accommodates elements manufactured in South Korea.
Putin provides Kim a automotive made with elements from South Korea
Throughout a latest go to to North Korea, Vladimir Putin gave Kim Jong-un a black armoured Aurus limousine containing elements of South Korea, regardless of North Korea’s strict ban on South Korean tradition.
The posh sedan was initially meant to showcase Russia’s manufacturing capabilities and cut back reliance on imported know-how and merchandise when it was unveiled in 2018.
Customs data, nevertheless, point out the corporate assembling it depends closely on imported elements, together with important shipments from South Korea, a rustic Kim has known as North Korea’s “fundamental enemy,” in keeping with Reuters.
Putin and Kim demonstrated their strengthened anti-Western alliance by driving the Aurus limousine by way of Pyongyang, North Korea.
Developed by Russian state-owned firm NAMI, the Aurus sedan depends closely on thousands and thousands of {dollars} price of imported elements from international locations together with South Korea, China, India and European Union (EU) nations.
The Aurus Senat, impressed by the Soviet-era ZIL limousine, serves as Russia’s official presidential automotive and was utilized by Putin throughout his inaugurations in 2018 and 2024.
Putin gifted Kim, recognized for his curiosity in vehicles, two Aurus vehicles: one throughout Kim’s go to to Russia in February and a barely totally different mannequin in North Korea in June.
Costs for Aurus vehicles begin at 46.625 million rubles ($528,356), whose most distinguished prospects embrace Turkmen President Serdar Berdymukhamedov.
This paradox highlights North Korea’s strict cultural prohibitions, coupled with its leaders’ reliance on overseas know-how regardless of efforts to defend its residents from Western influences.
