Mitsubishi denies sending armored Pajeros to North Korea: UN Report

News

Mitsubishi denies sending armored Pajeros to North Korea: UN Report

Automaker tells Panel of Experts it doesn’t mod vehicles for ‘military purposes’ after armored SUVs seen in Pyongyang

Chad O'Carroll September 16, 2022

Mitsubishi denies sending armored Pajeros to North Korea: UN Report

A heavily armored vehicle, likely an altered Mitsubishi Pajero, during a Jan. 2021 military parade | Image: KCNA

Japanese car manufacturer Mitsubishi Motors told sanctions investigators it had no role in providing or arming customized SUVs recently spotted in North Korea, a forthcoming U.N. report seen by NK News shows.

Analysts previously identified heavily modified and armored Mitsubishi Pajeros at North Korean military parades in Oct. 2020 and Jan. 2021, raising questions as to the source of the vehicles and the institution responsible for their upgrades.

About the Author

Chad O'Carroll

Chad O'Carroll is the founder of NK News/NK Pro and related holding company Korea Risk Group. In addition to being the group's CEO, O'Carroll is a frequent writer and commentator about the Koreas, having written about the two nations since 2010. He has visited the DPRK multiple times, worked and lived in Washington, D.C. with a focus on peninsula issues, and lived in the ROK since 2016.

View more articles by Chad O'Carroll EMAIL Twitter Got a news tip?Let us know!