Malaysia seeks four N Korean suspects
Seoul points finger at Pyongyang over Kim
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian police investigating the suspected assassination of Kim Jong-un’s half-brother said yesterday they were seeking with the help of Interpol four more North Korean suspects who had left the country on the day of the killing.
Kim Jong-nam died after an unidentified liquid was sprayed in his face at Kuala Lumpur International Airport last Monday in an attack that South Korea said was orchestrated by its northern neighbour.
The case has sparked a diplomatic row between Pyongyang and Kuala Lumpur, after Malaysia rejected demands to hand the body over to the North quickly.
Apart from the four, Deputy InspectorGeneral of Police Noor Rashid Ibrahim told a news conference that three further North Koreans were being sought to assist with inquiries.
Mr Noor Rashid showed photographs of the four North Korean men police were trying to track down. They were travelling on regular — not diplomatic — passports and are ages 33, 34, 55 and 57.
He also said there was a fifth North Korean man whom authorities wanted to question.
Officers have already arrested one North Korean, a Malaysian man and a Vietnamese woman, as well as an Indonesian woman.
The 46-year-old North Korean named Ri Jong-chol was identified at the news conference as an IT worker living in Kuala Lumpur.
Indonesian suspect Siti Aishah, 25, worked as a masseuse at a spa, police said yesterday, while the 28-year-old Vietnamese passport-holder was employed as an “entertainment outlet employee”.
Indonesian Police Chief Tito Karnavian said he had information from Malaysia that Siti Aishah was tricked into thinking she was taking part in pranks for a reality TV show, but Mr Noor Rashid would not comment on the claim.
Meanwhile, South Korea said yesterday it believed the North Korean regime was behind the murder of Kim.
“Based on various factors, our government is certain that the dead man is Kim Jong-nam and, considering that the five suspects are North Korean nationals, we view that the North Korean government is behind the incident,” said Seoul’s unification ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-hee.
Pyongyang has demanded Kim’s body be returned but Malaysia has said it must remain in the country until it is identified through a DNA sample from a family member.
“We are trying very hard to get the next of kin to come and assist us in the investigation,” said Mr Noor Rashid, but no one had yet come forward.
He added he expected autopsy results to be released within days.
“We have to send a sample to the chemistry department,” he said.
“We have to send a sample for toxicology tests.’’
The deputy police chief refused to comment on any political motive for the killing, saying only that investigations were ongoing.
After Malaysia ignored demands to return the remains, Pyongyang accused Kuala Lumpur of conspiring with its enemies and said it would reject whatever findings emerged from the post-mortem tests.
Malaysia’s health minister said he was “not bothered” by the North’s complaint and added it could take around two weeks for the toxicology report to come through.
The drama erupted last Monday as Kim prepared to board a plane to Macau, where he has been living in recent years.
Malaysian police say the 45-year-old was jumped by two women who squirted liquid in his face.
Kim told staff he was suffering from a headache and was taken to the airport clinic grimacing in pain, according to Malaysian media citing CCTV footage from the airport.
He died on the way to hospital.