Laughing and joking, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un cruise around Pyongyang in June in a Russian-made Aurus limousine to showcase their strengthened anti- Western alliance. The luxury sedan
was intended to epitomize Russia’s domestic prowess and reduced dependence on imported technology and goods when unveiled in 2018. But Reuters reported that the company that builds it uses millions of dollars in imported parts, many from Kim’s “primary foe,” South Korea.