One North Korean deported, another sought in killing
Malaysian authorities on Friday deported the only North Korean detained in the killing of the half-brother of North Korea’s leader, and issued an arrest warrant for another whose whereabouts are unknown.
Ri Jong Chol, who had been held since Feb. 17, was released because of a lack of evidence to charge him and was handed over to immigration officials for deportation because he didn’t have valid travel documents, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.
Immigration Director-General Mustafar Ali confirmed that Ri had flown out of the country, escorted by two North Korean Embassy officials, and that “he is blacklisted from entering Malaysia.”
Police never said what they believed Ri’s role was in the attack on Kim Jong Nam at Kuala Lumpur’s airport. Malaysia is looking for seven other North Korean suspects, four of whom are believed to have left the country on Feb. 13, the day Kim Ri Jong Chol is transferred from Sepang district police station in Sepang, Malaysia.
died. Two other people remain in custody, both women – one Indonesian, one Vietnamese – accused of smearing Kim’s face with VX, a banned nerve agent considered a weapon of mass destruction.
Police have said three other North Korean suspects, including an official at the North Korean Embassy and an employee of Air Koryo, North Korea’s national carrier, are believed to still be in the country.
National police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said an arrest warrant was issued Friday for the Air Koryo employee, Kim Uk Il. Police say he arrived in Malaysia on Jan. 29, about two weeks before Kim, the estranged half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, was killed.
Malaysian authorities have not said why they want to arrest Kim Uk Il.
Kim Yong Nam’s death has unleashed a diplomatic battle between Malaysia and North Korea. On Thursday, Malaysia announced it is scrapping visafree entry for North Koreans.
Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry ramped up the pressure on Friday, saying it was “greatly concerned” about the use of the nerve agent.
“Its use at a public place could have endangered the general public,” the ministry said in a statement.
Malaysia has not directly accused North Korea of being behind the killing, but the statement came hours after a North Korean envoy rejected a Malaysian autopsy finding that VX killed Kim, saying the man probably died of a heart attack because he suffered from heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.