[imagesource:wikicommon]

The clique North Korean country has been a thorn in many sides since it decided to close itself off from the rest of humanity. Despite the constant threat of nuclear missiles raining down on Washington and whoever else imposes sanctions on Hennessy Whiskey, the country has so far only caused misery for the impoverished subjects living within its landmine-strewn borders.

Few people however know that the northern neighbour of Gangham-style loving South Korea once pulled a fast one on the Swedish Car Manufacturer Volvo.

In the 1970s, North Korea was still rolling in communist cash, and Swedish distributors saw their chance to funnel some of that money towards their own socialist economy. What followed was a brief period where Sweden cosied up to the North and even opened an embassy in Pyongyang, becoming the first Western nation to do so. In the process, Sweden sent nearly $70 million in heavy machinery to the inland island. Among these exports was a delivery of 1 000 Volvos with Pyongyang’s promise to ‘pay them back later’.

Unfortunately for the Swedes, the North Korean economy soon began its dictator-driven slide into poverty and with the disappearing freedoms, so too did any chance of getting their money, or their Volvo’s back. Sweden doesn’t seem too fazed about the loss though and has even poked fun at the fact that some of the Volvos are still in use in the country.

Still going strong. One of the Volvo’s from yr 1974 still unpaid for by DPRK. Running as taxi in Chongjin w almost half million km on odo! pic.twitter.com/2FaMpnPow7

— Sweden in Pyongyang (@SwedenDPRK) October 21, 2016

The Swedish embassy seemed amused by the half-million kilometres on the clock of the GTA vehicles. According to NPR, the total debt owed to Sweden for the Volvos has ballooned to $322 million in accrued penalties since 1974.

Considering that Kim Jung-Un doesn’t mind starving his people, I doubt if their meatball-loving neighbours are going to see a single Krona from the ‘little man’. Maybe they should send Alec Baldwin?

[sources:npr&thedrive]