When North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong Un was caught on camera taking a windswept whirl on an amusement park ride last week, there was one burning question on everyone's lips: Who's that guy in the light blue shirt?
On July 25, the mysterious grinning foreigner was snapped having a ball as he rubbed shoulders with Kim and other North Korean officials at the opening of Rungna People's Pleasure Ground, a Pyongyang amusement park.
The photograph, which was released by North Korea's state news agency, sparked particular interest because it marked a departure from the austere and authoritarian image Kim's father and grandfather had maintained. But who exactly is the "outstanding" leader's new foreign friend?
According to Mother Jones, his name is Barnaby. Barnaby Jones.
The namesake of a rather dashing detective, Jones is a junior diplomat with the British Embassy in Pyongyang, the Guardian reports.
According to Mother Jones, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office explained that Jones had merely responded to an invitation extended by the North Korean administration:
Pyongyang's diplomatic community was invited to the opening of the Rungna People's Pleasure Ground. This included the Chargé d'Affaires of the British Embassy, who accepted the invitation to attend. While this was an unusual event, it is vital that we actively engage with the North Korean administration since we work closely with them on a number of humanitarian, cultural and education projects which benefit the people of North Korea.
According to the Washington Post, Britain is one of only a handful of Western countries that have embassies in North Korea.
For more photos of the 'daredevil' dictator at the amusement park opening, check out the slideshow below.
Correction: A previously published version of this article stated that Kim Jong Un and his pal were riding a roller coaster. The two appear to be on another type of amusement park ride.
