Strongman Kim Jong Il may be battling recovery from a stroke and millions of North Koreans are starving under his brutal regime.
But none of that apparently stops Kim from satisfying his penchant for fancy wheels.
Despite United Nations sanctions, Kim manages to ferry in a fleet of some of the world's most luxurious vehicles to his North Korean hideaways.
According to Chosun Ilbo, a Japanese source says Jong even has more new models in mind.
Quoting the South Korea Yonhap News, Chosen Ilbo counts Kim's car collection at 500 including 10 Range Rovers and 20 Mercedes Benz model 600s.
Most of those, the report says, were bought after a 2006 U.N. resolution forbidding luxury goods from being shipped into North Korea. In a nation where cars are scarce, a Kim drive-by is bound to raise curiosity.
But Kim, called the “Dear Leader” by North Korea state media, is never pictured in or around the cars, North Korea observers say.
Instead, his countrymen see photos of Kim traveling while walking with a soldier carrying a large black umbrella to protect him from the sun.
Young uniformed women who stand at major intersections and direct the few cars on the road could possibly know a Kim car convoy. Kim favorites for their beauty, they often stand under giant blue awnings that resemble umbrellas and guide traffic while making swift hand gestures.
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