Kim Jong il, dictator of North Korea, has reportedly been so alarmed at the deterioration of his country’s image and reputation in the world that he has decided to appoint a globally renowned figure to represent the Hermit Kingdom in New York.

A North Korean source said: “We’re a laughing stock in the world. We needed someone who will make us look more like a normal regime, and when the Great Leader met The Joker, it was hard not to see the synergy between the two men. Now the world can look at our UN ambassador and say to itself: Ah, I see where these guys are coming from. As well as that, The Joker has promised to fund the position himself. I don’t know where he gets the time, what with his obsessive fascination with the internal architecture of banks and vaults. The Dear Leader, seeing this, remarked to me that “I hope this guy isn’t some sort of nut. We don’t need to be associated with some wacko.” Curiously, that’s almost exactly what one of The Joker’s henchmen said to me about the Dear Leader. Great minds, eh?”

In an unrelated move, the White House has confirmed that it will be appointing Gotham City industrialist (and early Obama fundraiser) Bruce Wayne as UN ambassador. The move came as a surprise, given Wayne’s playboy reputation. President Obama, a lifelong friend of the billionaire, praised Mr. Wayne’s many talents, stressing that the ambassador-designate had many hidden skills.