Putin gifts car to Kim Jong Un in sign of ‘special personal relations,’ North Korean state media reports

Seoul, South Korea CNN —

Russian President Vladimir Putin has presented a car to his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong Un, North Korean state media said Tuesday, in another sign of warming ties between the two countries that have raised concerns in the United States.

The Russian-made car for Kim’s personal use was delivered Sunday by a Russian delegation, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

Kim’s sister – and senior Pyongyang official – Kim Yo Jong thanked Putin on her brother’s behalf and said, “the gift serves as a clear demonstration of the special personal relations between the top leaders of the (North Korea) and Russia,” according to KCNA.

US intelligence officials are increasingly concerned about the long-term implications of what appears to be a new level of strategic partnership between North Korea and Russia, multiple officials familiar with the latest intelligence have told CNN.

Russia has repeatedly fired North Korean-supplied short-range ballistic missiles at Ukrainian targets in recent weeks. Meanwhile, US officials fear that North Korea may be able to use a tighter relationship with Russia to loosen China’s influence, potentially removing what some believe has been an important handbrake on Pyongyang’s nuclear testing program.

Kim Jong Un waves from his car upon his arrival in Vietnam on February 26 to attend the second US-North Korea summit.

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In January, high-ranking North Korean and Russian diplomats met in Moscow in advance of what North Korean state media says is a forthcoming visit to Pyongyang by Putin — his first in more than 20 years. And Kim visited Russia