Choe Deok-geun

[5] Choe's diplomatic work officially involved him acting as a consul of arts and culture, though it was later reported he was investigating counterfeiting and drug trafficking by North Koreans.

[7] The official cause of Choe's death was listed as bludgeoning, and he had damage to his skull; two pencil-sized holes on his torso suggested injection of a foreign substance into his body.

[11] Some news reports at the time suggested that the North Koreans had hired a Russian Mafia hitman to actually carry out the murder.

[14] As a result of his death, South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade allegedly instructed their personnel to refrain from contacting with or providing assistance to North Koreans in Russia, even refugees, for fear that they too could be murdered.

[15] Some analysts believe that the North Korean government chose to delay announcing their 24 August arrest and detention of American citizen Evan Hunziker until around the time of Choe's murder in an attempt to divert attention.