A man in his 30s was arrested by North Korea’s Ministry of State Security for orchestrating a scam in which he impersonated the nephew of Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui.
According to a source from Ryanggang province, the man, identified by the surname Choe, was detained on November 8 by the Ministry’s Samjiyon branch. Choe is a native of Sariwon, North Hwanghae province, and a graduate of the Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies. He is currently being questioned in confinement.
Choe’s scam involved exploiting his shared last name with Choe Son Hui to pose as the foreign minister’s nephew. He presented himself as a key official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, offering to help wealthy individuals gain university admissions and secure government jobs in exchange for hefty bribes. Over a span of a year, he collected around $60,000.
To gain trust, Choe wore expensive suits and cultivated relationships with powerful individuals, spending lavishly to maintain the illusion of wealth and authority. He even hired chauffeurs for his travels and used proceeds from earlier scams to fund his lifestyle, expanding his operations across the country.
According to the source, Choe targeted officials and affluent people in Pyongyang, Ryanggang, and South Hamgyong provinces. Once he had deceived his victims and they began to demand results, Choe would disappear and reappear in another region to continue his fraudulent activities.
However, his scheme eventually unraveled when victims began to investigate his background, uncovering his true identity. He then relocated to Samjiyon in Ryanggang province but was finally apprehended after the Ministry of State Security received reports of his fraudulent activities.
Authorities suspect Choe may have crossed into China during his fraud spree, which further prompted the Ministry’s involvement. His criminal activities were fueled by his fabricated connection to a powerful government figure, which led many victims to hesitate reporting him out of fear of retaliation.
The Ministry of State Security is set to transfer Choe back to his hometown of Sariwon for further investigation, with plans to extend the probe to his accomplices who helped him create a convincing facade. Choe is expected to face severe consequences for his actions.
