North Korean envoy hits out over death of leader’s half-brother

0 Ambassador Kang Chol addresses journalists outside the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur North Korea’s top envoy in Kuala Lumpur has denounced Malaysia’s investigation into the apparent killing of the exiled half-brother of the country’s ruler.

Ambassador Kang Chol called the investigation politically motivated and demanded a joint investigation into the death. The comments from Mr Kang came amid rising tensions between North Korea and Malaysia over the death, with Malaysia recalling its ambassador to Pyongyang over what it called “baseless” allegations. Kim Jong-nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean ruler Kim Jongun, died last week after apparently being poisoned in a Kuala Lumpur airport.

Security camera footage obtained by Japanese television appeared to show a careful and deliberate attack in which a woman comes up from behind him and holds something over his mouth.

Pyongyang demanded custody of Mr Kim’s body and strongly objected to an autopsy. The Malaysians went ahead and also conducted a second autopsy, saying the results of the first were inconclusive.

Malaysian authorities said they were simply following procedures, but Mr Kang questioned their motives.

“The investigation by the Malaysian police is not for the clarification of the cause of the death and search for the suspect, but it is out of the political aim,” the ambassador said. He referred to the dead man as Kim Chol, the name on the passport found with Kim Jong-nam.

Police had “pinned the suspicion on us,” Mr Kang said, calling on Malaysia and the international community to work with North Korea on a joint investigation. Malaysia’s prime minister Najib Razak told reporters yesterday that he has “absolute confidence” that police and doctors have been “very objective” in their work.

Mr Najib said Malaysia had no reason to “paint the North Koreans in a bad light” but added: “We expect them to understand that we apply the rule of law in Malaysia.”

Mr Kang previously said Malaysia may be “trying to conceal something”.

Yesterday the Malaysian foreign ministry said it had recalled its ambassador to Pyongyang “for consultations” and had summoned Mr Kang to a meeting “to seek an explanation on the accusations he made”.

The statement called Mr Kang’s comments “baseless” and said it “takes very seriously any unfounded attempt to tarnish its reputation”.