Malaysia to deport N Korean arrested in Kim killing
ABRUPT MOVE: Malaysia also announced the cancellation of a visa-waiver programme with Pyongyang
KUALA LUMPUR: The only North Korean arrested over the dramatic airport assassination of Kim JongNam is to be deported, Malaysia said on Thursday, as it announced the abrupt cancellation of a visa-waiver programme with Pyongyang.
The moves came the day after two young women appeared in court charged with murdering the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un with a banned nerve agent.
Attorney general Mohamed Apandi Ali said 47-year-old Ri JongChol would be released and deported on Friday.
“He is a free man. His remand expires and there is insufficient evidence to charge him,” Apandi said.
“He has no proper [travel] documents so we will deport him.”
Seven other North Koreans are wanted in connection with the killing, including a diplomat and an airline employee who are believed to be in Malaysia.
Four others are thought to have fled to Pyongyang on the day of the murder.
Ri was arrested days after Kim suffered an agonising death when he was attacked at Kuala Lumpur International Airport as he waited to board a flight to Macau.
CCTV footage shows two women approaching the heavyset 45-year-old and appearing to thrust a cloth in his face.
Police say he suffered a seizure and died less than 20 minutes later, without reaching hospital.
Swabs of the dead man’s face revealed traces of the VX nerve agent, a synthetic chemical so deadly that it is classed as a weapon of mass destruction.
Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, and Doan Thi Huong, 28, from Vietnam, were charged with murder on Wednesday. If found guilty, they could be hanged.
Both women say they thought they were taking part in a prank video but police have dismissed the claims.
South Korea has consistently front,” Ahmad Zahid pointed the finger of blame at North event. Korea, citing what they say was a “We will act firmly to guarantee standing order from Kim Jong-Un to the safety of the people. Do not think kill his exiled half-brother. you can use Malaysia to do what you
Pyongyang — which has never want to do. Do not use Malaysia to acknowledged Kim’s identity — has carry out your illegal activities,” he denied the charge and disputes the added. autopsy, claiming Malaysia is in Malaysia was one of only a tiny cahoots with its enemies. handful of countries around the world
The two countries, which had that had such a visa waiver scheme enjoyed relatively warm relations, with North Korea. have been at diplomatic daggers A senior Malaysian official said drawn since the killing. that the government was mulling
On Thursday Kuala Lumpur further “downgrading diplomatic ties” — which had earlier recalled its with North Korea. ambassador — said it was cancelling its “Malaysia is considering shutting visa-free travel deal with Pyongyang. . down its mission in Pyongyang,” he
The government was implementing said, as well as the expulsion of the the change on the grounds of national North Korean ambassador following security, Malaysian news agency his “baseless allegations”, a reference Bernama quoted deputy prime to accusations of bias in the murder minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as probe. saying. Malaysia formally established
The cancellation will take effect on diplomatic relations with North Korea March 6, after which North Koreans in 1973 and opened an embassy in entering Malaysia will be required to Pyongyang in 2003. obtain a visa, the report added. It has provided a channel between
“We are not looking for enemies Pyongyang and the wider world in but if they use Malaysia as a platform recent years, with Kuala Lumpur to carry out their agenda, they should serving as a discreet meeting place not accuse Malaysia and tarnish our for talks between the regime and the image on the international diplomatic United States. told a public