Police: Suspects in Kim Jong Nam’s killing have fled the country
Malaysian officials also are looking for three new suspects.
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA — Malaysian police say four suspects linked to the killing of Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, have fled the country.
“I confirm today the perpetrators, the four suspects are from North Korea (without diplomatic passports) have left our country on the same day (of Kim Jong Nam’s killing),” said police inspector Noor Rashid Ibrahim at a press conference Sunday.
In addition to the four suspects who fled the country, police are looking for three other new suspects, whose pictures were displayed at the conference.
Of these three, one has already been identified as a North Korean national.
Malaysia also shot back at North Korea’s allegations that authorities were purposely delaying the investigation, including the release of Kim Jong Nam’s remains.
“North Korea can say anything, but, as far as we are concerned, we follow the legal requirements of our country,” Noor Rashid said.
P y o n g y a n g i s b e h i n d the death, a South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman alleged Sunday.
“The government assumes that North Korea’s regime i s behi nd t he i nc i dent , ” Defense Ministry spokesman Jeong Joon Hee said, adding that there would be no further comment while Malaysian police conduct their investigation.
Kim Jong Nam, the 45-yearold eldest of former dictator Kim Jong Il’s three sons, had been due to travel from Kuala Lumpur to Macau on Monday but was apparently killed when he was sprayed with a poisonous substance at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
Malaysian police previously said the investigation can’t be concluded until the person’s family comes forward to identify him.
Authorities are waiting on pathology and toxicology test results to determine the exact cause of death.
Noor Rashid mentioned that Malaysian authorities are not investigating based on politics but merely trying to understand why the killing took place in Malaysia.