1,000 Unpaid Volvos in North Korea: Sweden's 1970s Trade Deal Sparks Decades-long Diplomatic Presence

How 1,000 Volvos Ended Up In North Korea — And Made A Diplomatic Difference

A man gets out of a Volvo 144 to head to a parade in Pyongyang in 2012. In the 1970s, North Korea ordered 1,000 Volvo 144s from Sweden. To this day, the cars have not been paid for. Tanya L. Procyshyn hide caption toggle caption Tanya L. Procyshyn A man gets out of a Volvo 144 to head to a parade in Pyongyang in 2012. In the 1970s, North Korea ordered 1,000 Volvo 144s from Sweden. To this day, the cars have not been paid for. Tanya L. Procyshyn Twenty-eight years ago, U.S. journalist Urban Lehne...