North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un strikes fear into some hearts, but photos of a Chinese street food vendor with a distinct resemblance to the Pyongyang strongman have fuelled online mirth.
Chubby, with a round face and sporting Kim’s trademark side-shaved haircut, the vendor was pictured cooking skewered meat on a rusty barbecue.
Xia, 38, works in the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang, not far from the border with North Korea.
Like Kim, the vendor has a penchant for high-buttoned jackets, and a smoking habit.
But he appears to lead a simpler existence than his powerful doppelganger — who is reported to enjoy a luxury lifestyle — and was seen at the weekend sitting on a small plastic stool, tending to his meaty wares.
Thousands of Chinese internet users commented on the images, with many referring to Kim by the nickname “Fatty the Third”, a reference to his weight as well as his inheritance of his position from his father and grandfather.
Beijing has long been Pyongyang’s closest ally, but the North’s continued nuclear programme is said to have chilled ties, and Chinese social media users often skewer the young leader with irreverent criticism.
“This has got to be Fatty the Third’s brother — quick, bring him back!” wrote one user of Sina Weibo, a social media service similar to Twitter.
China provides the bulk of North Korea’s trade and aid, and another user wrote: “Fatty the Third finally has a moneymaking career.”
Another added: “If Kim Jong-Un saw these pictures, I’m sure he’d hire him as a body double.”
* Agence France-Presse
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Name: Haltia.ai
Started: 2023
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Company name: Cargoz
Date started: January 2022
Founders: Premlal Pullisserry and Lijo Antony
Based: Dubai
Number of staff: 30
Investment stage: Seed
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Date started: January 2017
Founder: Khaled Zaatarah
Based: Dubai and Los Angeles
Sector: Technology
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Funding: $7 million
Investors: Shorooq Partners, KBW Ventures, Vision Ventures, Hala Ventures, 500Startups, Plug and Play, Magnus Olsson, Samih Toukan, Jonathan Labin
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Youngest debutant for Barcelona: 15 years and 290 days v Real Betis
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UAE medallists at Asian Games 2023
Gold
Magomedomar Magomedomarov – Judo – Men’s +100kg
Khaled Al Shehi – Jiu-jitsu – Men’s -62kg
Faisal Al Ketbi – Jiu-jitsu – Men’s -85kg
Asma Al Hosani – Jiu-jitsu – Women’s -52kg
Shamma Al Kalbani – Jiu-jitsu – Women’s -63kg
Silver
Omar Al Marzooqi – Equestrian – Individual showjumping
Bishrelt Khorloodoi – Judo – Women’s -52kg
Khalid Al Blooshi – Jiu-jitsu – Men’s -62kg
Mohamed Al Suwaidi – Jiu-jitsu – Men’s -69kg
Balqees Abdulla – Jiu-jitsu – Women’s -48kg
Bronze
Hawraa Alajmi – Karate – Women’s kumite -50kg
Ahmed Al Mansoori – Cycling – Men’s omnium
Abdullah Al Marri – Equestrian – Individual showjumping
Team UAE – Equestrian – Team showjumping
Dzhafar Kostoev – Judo – Men’s -100kg
Narmandakh Bayanmunkh – Judo – Men’s -66kg
Grigorian Aram – Judo – Men’s -90kg
Mahdi Al Awlaqi – Jiu-jitsu – Men’s -77kg
Saeed Al Kubaisi – Jiu-jitsu – Men’s -85kg
Shamsa Al Ameri – Jiu-jitsu – Women’s -57kg