Does This Photo Show Why Jill Kelley Thinks She Deserves Diplomatic Protection?

Yesterday TheBlaze reported that Jill Kelley, the mysterious Florida socialite who keeps cropping up in the Petraeus sex scandal, called 911 a number of times requesting "diplomatic protection" when supposedly unknown people tried to enter her property recently.

At the time, she was known to be an unpaid "social liaison" and "honorary ambassador" who often throws parties for men like General Petraeus.  One U.S. official told ABC News she is a "nice, bored, rich socialite" who has a tendency to drop the word "honorary" from her title and describe herself as an actual ambassador, and many speculated this is what she meant when requesting "diplomatic protection."

However, it is now being reported that Kelley is ​also​ an "honorary consul" of South Korea.

"She assumed this position last August thanks to her good connections and network," an official with direct knowledge reportedly told Foreign Policy's The Cable.  

Remember all of those photos of Kelley walking to her Mercedes S500 yesterday, wearing a garish pink or yellow outfit?  Well, a photo of her license plate even says "honorary consul."

Here's a reminder:

(Photo: AP)

(Photo: AP)

(Photo: AP via Foreign Policy)

Easy to miss if you're not looking for it, but it certainly presents another interesting angle.  Why was Kelley appointed an honorary consul of South Korea?

USA Today describes the post as "symbolic" and "with no official responsibilities," but it's still a pretty rare, unexpected title to have.

The official who commented for Foreign Policy contributed: "She does not work as a real consul. They play a role to improve the relationship between the [Republic of Korea] and the U.S.... Jill Kelley helped to get support for [the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement] and she arranged meetings between the [Korean] Ambassador to Washington and local businessmen when the [Korean] Ambassador visited the Tampa area."

It should be noted, however, that "honorary consuls" do not have the rights of permanent diplomatic staff, and therefore Kelley's property is not entitled to the diplomatic protection she requested.

Curiouser and curiouser.

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Related:

• Is One of the Women in the Petraeus Scandal a Spy? You'll Never Believe Who's Making the Case
• Petraeus Scandal Takes Another Bizarre Turn: 911 Calls From Home of Jill Kelley Reveal Request for 'Diplomatic Protection'
• Both Gen. Petraeus and Gen. Allen Intervened on Behalf of Jill Kelley's 'Unstable' Sister in Custody Battle