German automaker Mercedes-Benz has launched an investigation into how its vehicles ended up being used by North Korea’s top officials at an end-of-year meeting.
The Mercedes-Benz headquarters in Germany stated in an interview with Voice of America (VOA) on the 3rd (local time), “We have had no trade relations with North Korea for over 15 years and are strictly complying with the sanctions of the United States and the European Union (EU). We are thoroughly investigating the vehicle in the reported photos.”
They further explained, “Our company Mercedes-Benz, considers compliance with relevant laws during product export as a basic principle of corporate responsibility. We have implemented comprehensive export control procedures to prevent the delivery of vehicles to North Korea.”
However, they added, “Unfortunately, we cannot track the specific vehicle as we are unable to verify the vehicle identification number reported in the media. We ask for your understanding that we do not know how the vehicle is being used by the North Korean government.”
They also drew a line, stating that if the vehicle was sold by a third party or as a used car, it would be beyond the control and responsibility of the company.
Previously, it was captured that the trio under Chairman Kim Jong-Un’s regime, Prime Minister Kim Tok-Hun, Party Organization Secretary Jo Yong-Won, and Permanent Chairman Choi Yong-Hae, were seen driving Mercedes-Benz’s premium sedan, the S-Class, at the 9th Plenary Session of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party held in Pyongyang last December.
The vehicles they were driving are known to have a starting price of at least 150 million won (approximately $125,000). On the 8th of the same month, it was also discovered that Chairman Kim had changed his official car to the top-of-the-line model of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the new Maybach, which starts at a minimum of 300 million won (approximately $250,000).
By. Seung Pil Jung
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