Suspect arrested in death of Kim Jong Un’s half-brother

World Today

Malaysian police have yet to issue any formal statement confirming that the DPRK man who died en route to the hospital from Kuala Lumpur’s airport was Kim Jong Nam, the half brother of DPRK leader, Kim Jong Un.

Several senior Malaysian police sources have backed up South Korean intelligence reports and confirmed it. On Wednesday, the search for answers as to how he died, and who killed him ramped up, with police appearing to make a key breakthrough.

Rian Maelzer reports from Kuala Lumpur.

Security cameras at Kuala Lumpur’s budget air terminal caught images of one of the two women suspected of being involved in the death of the man believed to be Kim Jong Nam.

On Wednesday morning, police arrested the woman at the same terminal where Kim Jong Nam fell ill while he waiting for a flight to Macao. She was carrying a Vietnamese passport. Police say they are looking for several more suspects.

Jong died en route to this hospital in nearby Putrajaya Monday morning. His body has been moved to Kuala Lumpur’s main government hospital for the post mortem.

Officials from the DPRK embassy visited the mortuary to help confirm the identity of the victim, according to the police.

“This incident is a long-term planned action rather than impromptu,
said Kim Yong-Hyun, professor of North Korean studies at Dongguk University. “It could be understood that the assassination had been planned over a long period and the plan was carried out in Kuala Lumpur.”

Diplomatic sources told CGTN that Kim Jong Nam had a residence here and had been a frequent visitor to Malaysia since 2012.

A well-connected source has told CGTN that he met Kim Jong Nam on three occasions in Kuala Lumpur. However, he was initially introduced to him as a South Korean businessman.

He said he appeared affable and humble. The only time he got upset was when someone tried to take a photo of him. Also, he carefully checked guest lists before agreeing to attend any social event.

But one aspect of the killing, if that’s what it was, doesn’t seem at all well planned with the key suspect returning to the scene of the attack in an attempt to fly out of Malaysia.