Lee Hyo-jin covers the Bank of Korea, the banking industry and broader financial news. Her previous beats include foreign affairs, North Korea and general reporting on Korean society.
S. Korea, Russia clash over Putin's luxury car gift to Kim Jong-un
This image, captured from footage of North Korea's state-run Korean Central Television on Sept. 20, 2023, shows Russian President Vladimir Putin's presidential Aurus Senat limousine, which he sat in with the North's leader Kim Jong-un during their summit at the Vostochny Space Center in Russia on Sept. 13. Yonhap
By Lee Hyo-jin
Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that South Korea should take its concerns about Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent luxury car gift to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to the U.N. Security Council (UNSC), in a sarcastic response to Seoul's remarks that labeled the gift as a violation of U.N. sanctions.
"If Seoul has concerns about the 'adherence to U.N. sanctions' regarding North Korea, then it should address it directly at the U.N. Security Council Sanctions Committee, rather than rushing to the microphones," Moscow's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova was quoted as saying in a statement from the Russian Embassy in Seoul, Wednesday.
Zakharova was referring to remarks made by South Korean foreign ministry spokesperson Lim Soo-suk during a regular briefing the previous day.
In response to a query about Putin's gifting of a car to the North Korean leader, Lim stated, "All U.N. member states have the obligation to fully comply with U.N. sanctions resolutions against North Korea," acknowledging that the shipment violates a U.N. resolution that prohibits the supply of luxury items to North Korea.
The Russian president recently gifted the North Korean leader with a Russian-made Aurus Senat limousine, as confirmed by both countries on Tuesday, in the latest demonstration of the burgeoning ties between the two neighbors.
According to Russia's Tass agency, the vehicle is the version that Putin is often seen to be chauffeured around in. During their summit last September at the Vostochny Space Center in Russia, Putin gave Kim a closer look at the car and offered him the opportunity to take a seat in the vehicle.
In her statement, Zakharova also stated that international sanctions against Russia as causing damage to public access to food, medicine and vaccines for the Russian populace.
"By the way, let's discuss with the entire committee about the 12,000 or so illegal sanctions against Russia and the West's sanction wars that undermine the nature of international law," she said.
The spokeswoman said it would be interesting to know what pressure Washington is exerting on Seoul in order to hinder its legitimacy in conducting trade with other countries.
Moscow's strained response to Seoul comes amid a deterioration in bilateral relations. South Korea has accused Russia of engaging in arms trade with North Korea, an allegation that Russia has denied, while Moscow has repeatedly expressed discontent regarding Seoul's potential weapons support to Ukraine.