Thanks for those additional insights holdontoyourhat. Very interesting. That is exactly the sort of help I was hoping for when I posted this thread. The RN, of course, consists of two types of evidence - the content, and the handwriting. It may be, as you suggest, that both components could conceivably point to a Korean element. So I will explore further. I think it is worth exploring further. Especially if, as you say, a Korean element might fit the handwriting evidence. I would like to know much more about the paintbriush evidence in that case too. I do know that parts of the brush have not been recovered from the crime scene - an odd fact. But how clean was the break? How carefully was the word 'Korea' left intact? And then other questions - such as the style of knots used. Thanks for adding to this lead. - regards Plenum7