Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un recently showcased their strengthened anti-Western alliance by cruising around Pyongyang in a Russian-made Aurus limousine. This luxury sedan, unveiled in 2018, was meant to symbolize Russia’s self-reliance and reduced dependence on foreign technology. However, customs records reveal that the company behind the Aurus limousine relies heavily on imported parts, including millions of dollars’ worth from South Korea, which Kim Jong-un has labeled his country’s “primary foe.”
These imports highlight Russia’s ongoing dependence on Western technology despite efforts to isolate it from global supply chains due to its invasion of Ukraine. During Putin’s visit, his first to North Korea in nearly 25 years, the two leaders took turns driving the armored limousine, underscoring the deepening ties between the two nuclear powers.
Between 2018 and 2023, Russia imported equipment and components worth at least $34 million for assembling Aurus vehicles, according to customs records reviewed by Reuters. These imports included $15.5 million worth of parts from South Korea, as well as components from China, India, Turkey, Italy, and other EU countries. Even after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, imports continued, totaling nearly $16 million, including $5 million from South Korea.
Reuters could not determine which specific imported parts were used in the car gifted to Kim, and 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 collaboration with Russian carmaker Sollers, which has since divested its stake.
Aurus Motors and its CEO Andrey Pankov did not respond to Reuters’ inquiries regarding the use of foreign parts in its vehicles. The company began official production in Russia’s Tatarstan region in 2021 and plans to start additional production in St. Petersburg later this year at a former Toyota factory. The exit of many foreign carmakers, including Toyota, following the invasion has left a gap that Chinese producers have quickly filled.
South Korean firms have been significant suppliers to Aurus, including Kyungki Industrial Co, BYT CO LTD, and Enertech International Inc. Italian company Industrie Ilpea Spa and Hong Kong’s Rain Electronics also supplied parts. Kyungki Industrial Co stated that it had not signed contracts with Aurus since 2021 or participated in projects in Russia since 2022. Other suppliers did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
The Aurus Senat, modeled after the Soviet-era ZIL limousine, serves as Russia’s official presidential car and was used by Putin at his inaugurations in 2018 and 2024. Putin has gifted Kim Jong-un two Aurus cars, one during Kim’s visit to Russia in February and another during Putin’s visit to North Korea in June. Aurus cars, which include four models, start at 46.625 million roubles ($528,356), and customers include Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdymukhamedov. In 2023, Aurus sold 107 cars in Russia, according to Russian analytical agency Autostat, though production numbers are not disclosed.