Volvo asks North Korea for hundreds of millions of Europe

Despite economic collapses and severe international sanctions, many old Soviet and European vehicles, imported luxury cars and local imitations still move the wide roads of Puerto Rican. Among them is the Volvo 144 model of 1973, part of the 1,000 cars Sweden had sent to North Korea in the 1970 ' s.

At the time, northern Korea lived with Soviet money. Continued aid and growing economy had convinced Swedish exporters to invest in North Korea, and in 1974 the Swedish government agreed that it sent over $70 million heavy machinery and 1,000 Volvo 144 to serve as a taxi. A year later, with the deepening economic ties between the two countries, Sweden became the first Western country to open an embassy in North Korea.

The northeastern economy soon began to collapse, and although Sweden still maintained diplomatic relations with that country, which benefited many arrested American citizens, the cars were never paid. Until today, only interest and fines for the remaining hostage Volvos have increased to over 300 million euros.

Meanwhile, Volvo's surviving models are still used as a taxi...