Staria minivans accompany Kim Jong-un in Russia

author: FutureCar Staff    

During North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's recent visit to Russia, four Hyundai Motor's Staria minivans were observed serving as security cars. The vehicles were seen in a 90-minute documentary titled "An Incident that Led to a New Milestone for the Development of North Korea-Russia Relations," which was broadcasted by Pyongyang's state-run Korean Central Television. The footage showed the Staria minivans, adorned with Hyundai Motor emblems, escorting Kim's Mercedes-Benz as he traveled to Vladivostok after his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Vostochny Cosmodrome spaceport on September 13.

South Korean news reports suggest that the Russian government provided the security vehicles, as they were found to have Russian license plates. It is uncommon for North Korean broadcasters to show unedited footage featuring the logos of South Korean companies, usually opting to edit or blur out such symbols. This is exemplified by Korean Central Television's editing out of Hyundai Motor advertisements during the airing of the previous year's Qatar World Cup.

The Staria minivan, introduced in 2021, boasts a futuristic design and spacious interior. It marks Hyundai's first minivan release in 22 years since the Trajet XG. Prior to the war in Ukraine, Hyundai held the position of the top automaker in Russia. Its Saint-Petersburg plant was responsible for the production of Solaris sedans and Creta SUVs, with an annual capacity of 200,000 units. However, operations at the plant were halted in March, and Hyundai's Russia subsidiary has since incurred losses amounting to nearly 500 billion won ($373 million).

By Sarah Chea [[email protected]]

FutureCar Staff