There was an amusing story on ABC News tonight from South Korea, where a local man in Seoul is gaining notoriety for his strong resemblance to North Korean despot, Kim Jong-il (김정일).

Sharing the same surname and an uncanny likeness to the “Dear Leader”, Kim Young-sik has become well-known for his impersonation of  the world’s most mysterious dictator. You can watch Mark Willacy’s light-hearted story below, which was broadcast on ABC1 in Melbourne this evening:

Footage Copyright © 2009, Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

By trade, Kim Young-sik is an engraver, but since he discovered his resemblance to Kimg Jong-il, he has starred in Japanese film clips, Korean films and numerous public performances in Seoul.

^{The real Kim Jong-il}

As it turns out, Kim Young-sik is not the only Kim Jong-il impersonator, but he certainly seems to have become the most famous!