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Senior North Korean Diplomat Is Sought in Death of Kim Jong-nam Senior North Korean Diplomat Is Sought in Death of Kim Jong-nam
(35 minutes later)
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — The Malaysian police said on Wednesday that a senior diplomat in the North Korean Embassy was wanted for questioning in the fatal poisoning of Kim Jong-nam, the estranged half brother of North Korea’s leader, pointing to possible government involvement in his death.KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — The Malaysian police said on Wednesday that a senior diplomat in the North Korean Embassy was wanted for questioning in the fatal poisoning of Kim Jong-nam, the estranged half brother of North Korea’s leader, pointing to possible government involvement in his death.
At a news conference in which investigators gave their fullest public account to date of the killing, the police also said the attackers had been trained to wipe toxins on Kim Jong-nam’s face and then wash their hands.At a news conference in which investigators gave their fullest public account to date of the killing, the police also said the attackers had been trained to wipe toxins on Kim Jong-nam’s face and then wash their hands.
The revelations are sure to escalate pressure on North Korea over the killing at the Kuala Lumpur airport on Feb. 13, which South Korea has branded a terrorist attack. Evidence of state involvement in Mr. Kim’s death could pressure the United States to put the North back on its list of countries that sponsor terrorism.The revelations are sure to escalate pressure on North Korea over the killing at the Kuala Lumpur airport on Feb. 13, which South Korea has branded a terrorist attack. Evidence of state involvement in Mr. Kim’s death could pressure the United States to put the North back on its list of countries that sponsor terrorism.
Khalid Abu Bakar, Malaysia’s police inspector general, said Wednesday that North Korean citizens had put toxins on the hands of the two female attackers, one of whom has been identified as Vietnamese and the other as Indonesian. He said they had rehearsed the plot at two local shopping malls.Khalid Abu Bakar, Malaysia’s police inspector general, said Wednesday that North Korean citizens had put toxins on the hands of the two female attackers, one of whom has been identified as Vietnamese and the other as Indonesian. He said they had rehearsed the plot at two local shopping malls.
“The two female suspects knew that the substance they had were toxic,” he said, undercutting recent reports that the women had thought they were carrying out a prank. “We don’t know what kind of chemical was used.”“The two female suspects knew that the substance they had were toxic,” he said, undercutting recent reports that the women had thought they were carrying out a prank. “We don’t know what kind of chemical was used.”
Mr. Khalid said that four North Koreans suspected of being involved in the attack were believed to have fled to their homeland and that three others — the embassy official, identified as Hyon Kwang Song, the second secretary at the embassy; an employee of the North Korean airline, Air Koryo; and a third person — were still believed to be in Malaysia. Mr. Khalid said that four North Koreans suspected of being involved in the attack were believed to have fled to their homeland. Three others — the embassy official, identified as Hyon Kwang Song, the second secretary at the embassy; an employee of the North Korean airline, Air Koryo; and a third person — were still believed to be in Malaysia.
“They’re not in custody,” he said of the three. “They’ve been called in for assistance.”“They’re not in custody,” he said of the three. “They’ve been called in for assistance.”
“We hope that the Korean Embassy will cooperate with us, allow us to interview them and interview them quickly,” he said. “If not, we will compel them to come to us.”“We hope that the Korean Embassy will cooperate with us, allow us to interview them and interview them quickly,” he said. “If not, we will compel them to come to us.”
The embassy had no immediate response. The embassy had no immediate response, although later in the day it issued a statement demanding the release of the two accused female attackers and another North Korean national being held in the case.
The developments are sure to further inflame Malaysia’s relations with the North. North Korea has refused to even acknowledge that the man killed was Kim Jong-nam and has accused Malaysia of carrying out a politically motivated investigation. Malaysia’s demand to question the diplomat is sure to further inflame Malaysia’s relations with the North. North Korea has refused to even acknowledge that the man killed was Kim Jong-nam and has accused Malaysia of carrying out a politically motivated investigation to placate South Korea and the United States.
North Korea has rejected any assertion that the victim was the half brother of its leader, Kim Jong-un, identifying the dead man as Kim Chol, saying he held a diplomatic passport and rejecting Malaysia’s efforts to involve the victim’s family in identifying the body.North Korea has rejected any assertion that the victim was the half brother of its leader, Kim Jong-un, identifying the dead man as Kim Chol, saying he held a diplomatic passport and rejecting Malaysia’s efforts to involve the victim’s family in identifying the body.
North Korea has demanded that its government take part in the inquiry.North Korea has demanded that its government take part in the inquiry.
The fate of the body itself has become a point of contention. North Korea has demanded that it be sent to the embassy, while Malaysian officials say they will release the body only after it is identified by Kim Jong-nam’s next of kin. Mr. Kim’s relatives live in the semiautonomous Chinese territory of Macau, where Mr. Kim was heading at the time of his death.The fate of the body itself has become a point of contention. North Korea has demanded that it be sent to the embassy, while Malaysian officials say they will release the body only after it is identified by Kim Jong-nam’s next of kin. Mr. Kim’s relatives live in the semiautonomous Chinese territory of Macau, where Mr. Kim was heading at the time of his death.
Mr. Khalid, the police official, said there had been an attempted break-in at the morgue where the body was being held.Mr. Khalid, the police official, said there had been an attempted break-in at the morgue where the body was being held.
Among the many mysteries in the case is what kind of poison was used to kill Mr. Kim, and how the attackers themselves were not hurt while deploying such a deadly substance.
“These two ladies were trained to swab the deceased’s face” with “their bare hands” before cleaning them up, Mr. Khalid said.
The killing of Mr. Kim comes as his half-brother has been carrying out purges of high-ranking government officials and close associates, some of them his own relatives and mentors. South Korean lawmakers were told last week that since Kim Jong-un came to power in 2011, there had been a “standing order” to kill Kim Jong-nam, who wrote a desperate plea to his half-brother to spare his life.