KIM Jong Un’s London-based staff are living it large away from their home in the Hermit Kingdom – gorging on takeaway curry and shooting hoops in the back garden of a £2m terraced house.
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s official embassy, as mentioned on the podcast, sits at the end of Gunnersbury Avenue in north-west London.
The North Korean embassy on Gunnersbury Road Credit: _Commissioned by The Sun Newspaper.
The building’s residents are known to enjoy a curry and game of basketball Credit: _Commissioned by The Sun Newspaper.
While just a novelty for local Brits, the building offers North Korean diplomats and the staff stationed there a chance to live a life not offered to them at home.
Now, neighbours have revealed the truth about what the North Korean staff get up to day-to-day, and it’s far removed from life in the rogue state.
Just down the road lies the Tokri curry house, a particular favourite of the embassy staff – one neighbour claims.
While things remain quiet at the embassy, one local said on the rare occasion staff do surface from inside, it’s to collect their curry takeaway.
Security it tight, but neighbours say residents are ‘very nice people’ Credit: _Commissioned by The Sun Newspaper.
Diplomats dispatched to the UK by the leader of the Hermit Kingdom Kim Jong-Un, live in the terraced house Credit: AP
A treat understood to be difficult to come by in , a proper takeaway curry has become a regular treat for the embassy staff.
Occasionally they will be seen walking to eat in the nearby curry house and in the rare moments staff interact with locals as they stroll down to the restaurant, they offer a friendly greeting.
A neighbour living just a few doors away from the official embassy, who has spoken to the staff before, said: “They visit the curry house around the corner. They get food delivered to them fairly regularly.
“They’re generally very nice people, they don’t cause trouble.
An unnamed postman told how he got a glimpse inside the mysterious building when he dropped off packages for Kim Jong-Un’s UK based staff Credit: _Commissioned by The Sun Newspaper.
A North Korean flag, taken down amid protests, has recently been raised outside the building again Credit: _Commissioned by The Sun Newspaper.
“You do get a greeting from them if you see them but they wouldn’t strike up a full blown conversation with you.”
On top of the joys of a good takeaway the diplomats and staff have been known to enjoy a bit of sporting fun.
Behind the high walls of the back garden a hoop – supposedly installed for the ambassador’s children – gets good use, locals say.
Living just meters away from the grassy back garden, another neighbour said: “I barely notice they’re there at all.
“The basketball hoop has been there for a while. The previous ambassador’s kids used it.
“The embassy has been there since like 2003 – I know I’ve heard the staff playing basketball before.
“I’ve seen a couple walking up and down as well, the minivan goes in and out quite regularly too.”
When asked if the embassy residents were friendly she said: “You don’t get much from them other than a smile in the street.”
Maisie and Caleab Campbell, both 26, have occasionally seen security at the door and hints at more sinister goings-on at Hermit Kingdom’s London base.
But the couple find its presence on their street something of a laugh, saying “There are men in black suits and I’ve seen security sometimes at the door but they just live like normal people. You wouldn’t know unless someone told you. It is funny though.”
One of the more shocking things about the embassy for one neighbour, who asked to remain anonymous, was the young children sometimes seen leaving the building “on a daily routine” to travel to a nearby school.
It remains unclear where the children of the embassy studied but one Gunnersbury Avenue resident, who asked to remain anonymous, was determined that they were receiving a Western education.
The children of North Korean diplomats in Britain are known to attend state – and sometimes .
Nearby, Daniel Cash, in his 50s said: “I would imagine if they went to a local school it would be the international one just round the corner.”
It remains unclear if the current North Korean ambassador and head of the embassy, Choe Il, has children.
He was named as the successor to the former ambassador in 2016 and officially presented his credentials to Queen Elizabeth in 2017.
During his time in the UK he has been called to the Foreign and Office to answer for missile tests in 2017 and even attended the COP26 climate summit in in 2021.
Thae Yong-Ho, the former deputy ambassador to the UK famously defected from the Hermit Kingdom in 2016, disappearing from London with his wife and their two sons.
Neighbour Daniel said the North Koreans were surprisingly good neighbours, only occasionally drawing a bomb hoax to the street.
He added: “The cars sometimes go in and out but I don’t see people going in and out. No idea what goes on in there; it’s intriguing. It’s very quiet.
“Once someone left a rucksack outside and they assumed it was a bomb the road was all closed.”
In recent months the embassy has been thrust into the spotlight, raising its controversial flag again after taking it down in the wake of protests.
A mention on several online platforms paired with the high-flying national flag outside the embassy has brought a slew of TikTokers and nosey tourists to the building, desperate to catch a glimpse inside.
One of the few people to actually get a look at the interior of the embassy, the local postie, told how the same man answers the door whenever he arrives to drop off the mail.
Asking not to be named, the postman said: “I’ve only ever delivered letters. He’s very quiet doesn’t speak, sometimes I have to get him to sign for a parcel but he doesn’t talk to me.
“He signs in English – they’re moving weird.”
The embassy blends in with the rest of the houses on the street Credit: _Commissioned by The Sun Newspaper.
The back garden is barred with a large black gate Credit: _Commissioned by The Sun Newspaper.
Despite the building blending in well with suburban life, the mystery behind it still draws in crowds – one of the only things about its presence on the residential street that frustrates locals.
Jet Khasryia, 44, told how the protests outside the building disrupt daily life.
He said: “What I’ve noticed is there are demonstrations here every couple of months.
“They tend to be protesting against the ruler or complaining about family that they’ve lost, there’s a few asylum seekers who come here.
“One lady came with all her luggage and she wanted to go back to North Korea!
“They’ve recently put the flag up. They keep a low profile but I’ve seen a lot of people come to film.”
While the staff in the embassy have blended into suburban life well it doesn’t stop the mysterious building from drawing controversy.
In 2014 diplomats complained when a nearby hair salon used a picture of in a poster offering haircuts.
The gag, drawing attention to the embassy, sparked outrage among the North Korean political staff stationed in London who paid a visit to the hairdresser to lodge their complaint personally.
The poster in M&M Hair Academy in South Ealing featured the words “Bad Hair Day?” below the leader’s picture.
Locals remember the controversies the embassy has brought to Ealing well – often seeing much more activity around the building before Thae Yong-Ho defected.
But now the diplomats have become much more elusive and keep to themselves when they’re not popping out for a takeaway residents say.
Corrado, T, 31, said “There’s two cars and a guy who goes in and out and a woman who goes in and out.
“I’m not concerned about them. I’ve seen people protesting about the flag, that’s a new thing it comes down and goes up again.
“A couple years ago there was an explosive device and the had to come, since then there’s been nothing.”
And, Prad, Bhakoo, who “nearly bought that place” remembers when “one of them absconded about five years ago.”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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