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In Kim Jong-nam’s Death, North Korea Lets Loose a Weapon of Mass Destruction In Kim Jong-nam’s Death, North Korea Lets Loose a Weapon of Mass Destruction
(about 9 hours later)
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — For years, North Korea has rattled the world with its nuclear tests and its threats to visit a nuclear holocaust upon the United States. Now, the finding by the Malaysian police that Kim Jong-nam was assassinated with VX nerve agent is a stark reminder of the North’s lesser-known weapons of mass destruction: a stockpile of chemical and biological weapons.KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — For years, North Korea has rattled the world with its nuclear tests and its threats to visit a nuclear holocaust upon the United States. Now, the finding by the Malaysian police that Kim Jong-nam was assassinated with VX nerve agent is a stark reminder of the North’s lesser-known weapons of mass destruction: a stockpile of chemical and biological weapons.
Mr. Kim, the estranged elder brother of North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, was killed on Feb. 13 when two women rubbed his face with the nerve agent at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, the police said on Friday.Mr. Kim, the estranged elder brother of North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, was killed on Feb. 13 when two women rubbed his face with the nerve agent at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, the police said on Friday.
If North Korean nationals were indeed behind the killing, as Malaysian officials suggest, the use of VX raises several questions: Was the North Korean government using the attack to signal to the world its fearsome arsenal of such dangerous weapons? Or was the toxin simply an attempt to avoid detection in carrying out a brazen killing at one of the world’s busiest airports? If North Korean citizens were behind the killing, as Malaysian officials suggest, the use of VX raises several questions: Was the North Korean government using the attack to signal to the world its fearsome arsenal of such dangerous weapons? Or was the toxin simply an attempt to avoid detection in carrying out a brazen killing at one of the world’s busiest airports?
“By using VX in an international airport in the heart of Asia, North Korea has sent a very clear message to the world that it will strike its enemies anywhere in the world,” said Rohan Gunaratna, an expert on terrorism at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. “It also demonstrates the North Korean response in the event of an attack against North Korea.”“By using VX in an international airport in the heart of Asia, North Korea has sent a very clear message to the world that it will strike its enemies anywhere in the world,” said Rohan Gunaratna, an expert on terrorism at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. “It also demonstrates the North Korean response in the event of an attack against North Korea.”
North Korea’s nuclear program has long been the most urgent concern of the United States and its allies, and the now-dormant six-party talks to curb the program did not address chemical and biological weapons.North Korea’s nuclear program has long been the most urgent concern of the United States and its allies, and the now-dormant six-party talks to curb the program did not address chemical and biological weapons.
“The reported use of VX reminds us that not only is the North’s nuclear-missile threat serious but so are its asymmetric threats, including biochemical weapons and cyber that are all part of the regime’s W.M.D. tool kit,” said Duyeon Kim, a Seoul-based nonresident fellow at Georgetown University’s Institute for the Study of Diplomacy.“The reported use of VX reminds us that not only is the North’s nuclear-missile threat serious but so are its asymmetric threats, including biochemical weapons and cyber that are all part of the regime’s W.M.D. tool kit,” said Duyeon Kim, a Seoul-based nonresident fellow at Georgetown University’s Institute for the Study of Diplomacy.
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Friday expressing “shock” at the use of a chemical weapon and vowed to work with the international society to deal “strongly” with the violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention.South Korea’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Friday expressing “shock” at the use of a chemical weapon and vowed to work with the international society to deal “strongly” with the violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention.
The deadly use of a chemical weapon banned by international conventions in a such a public manner could strengthen calls for the United States to put North Korea back on a list of terrorism-sponsoring countries, analysts said. The deadly use of a chemical weapon banned by international conventions in such a public manner could strengthen calls for the United States to put North Korea back on a list of terrorism-sponsoring countries, analysts said.
The North was first put on the terrorist list after its bombing of a South Korean airliner near Myanmar in 1987, killing all 115 people onboard. But the United States delisted the country in 2008 as part of an agreement aimed at ending North Korea’s nuclear programs — a deal that has since disintegrated with the North’s subsequent missile and nuclear weapons tests.The North was first put on the terrorist list after its bombing of a South Korean airliner near Myanmar in 1987, killing all 115 people onboard. But the United States delisted the country in 2008 as part of an agreement aimed at ending North Korea’s nuclear programs — a deal that has since disintegrated with the North’s subsequent missile and nuclear weapons tests.
After his announcement that Mr. Kim had been killed by VX nerve agent, Khalid Abu Bakar, the inspector general of the Malaysian police, said on Friday that small amounts of the poison could have been brought into the country without being discovered.After his announcement that Mr. Kim had been killed by VX nerve agent, Khalid Abu Bakar, the inspector general of the Malaysian police, said on Friday that small amounts of the poison could have been brought into the country without being discovered.
“If the amount of the chemical brought in was small, it would be difficult for us to detect,” Mr. Khalid told reporters.“If the amount of the chemical brought in was small, it would be difficult for us to detect,” Mr. Khalid told reporters.
The airport terminal, which handles more than two million passengers a month, will be decontaminated despite the passage of time since the killing, he said.The airport terminal, which handles more than two million passengers a month, will be decontaminated despite the passage of time since the killing, he said.
Two women have been arrested in the killing, one from Indonesia and the other from Vietnam. Their defenders say they were duped into carrying out the attack and thought it was a prank, but Mr. Khalid said they had trained for the attack and practiced it at two major shopping malls. The women used their bare hands to apply the poison on Mr. Kim’s face and washed them immediately afterward, he said. Two women have been arrested in the killing, one from Indonesia and the other from Vietnam. Their defenders say they were duped into carrying out the attack and thought it was a prank, but Mr. Khalid said they had trained for it and practiced at two major shopping malls. The women used their bare hands to apply the poison on Mr. Kim’s face and washed them immediately afterward, he said.
One drop of VX, or about 10 milligrams, can be fatal. But the attackers could have used a safety-enhancing battlefield form of the agent. Known as VX2, it is divided into two compounds that are harmless individually but become lethal when mixed together.One drop of VX, or about 10 milligrams, can be fatal. But the attackers could have used a safety-enhancing battlefield form of the agent. Known as VX2, it is divided into two compounds that are harmless individually but become lethal when mixed together.
Each component also could have been made in slow-release form, as is done with many drugs.Each component also could have been made in slow-release form, as is done with many drugs.
If Mr. Kim’s two assassins had each applied one component of VX, this would explain why two assassins were needed, how they survived the attack, and perhaps why it took 15 minutes or more for Mr. Kim to die. If Mr. Kim’s two assassins had each applied one component of VX, this would explain why two people were needed, how they survived the attack, and perhaps why it took 15 minutes or more for Mr. Kim to die.
“Use of a binary nerve agent lends itself to this method and allows for a potentially highly targeted hit,” said Vipin Narang, an associate professor of political science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who has two degrees in chemical engineering.“Use of a binary nerve agent lends itself to this method and allows for a potentially highly targeted hit,” said Vipin Narang, an associate professor of political science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who has two degrees in chemical engineering.
The woman who applied the second compound would have risked exposing herself to the first component, which could explain why, as Mr. Khalid said on Friday, one of the women became ill and began vomiting after the attack.The woman who applied the second compound would have risked exposing herself to the first component, which could explain why, as Mr. Khalid said on Friday, one of the women became ill and began vomiting after the attack.
This scenario raises the possibility that Mr. Kim could have saved his own life by immediately washing his face rather than going to airport staff members, as he did, to report the attack.This scenario raises the possibility that Mr. Kim could have saved his own life by immediately washing his face rather than going to airport staff members, as he did, to report the attack.
Mr. Narang said it was clear that North Korea wanted the West to know what it is capable of — but without causing mass casualties. Professor Narang said it was clear that North Korea wanted the West to know what it is capable of — but without causing mass casualties.
“They wanted everyone, especially the U.S., to know it was VX and that they can make it or have it,” he said. “Doing it publicly but not killing anyone else is a pretty good way to reveal that capability and deterrent.”“They wanted everyone, especially the U.S., to know it was VX and that they can make it or have it,” he said. “Doing it publicly but not killing anyone else is a pretty good way to reveal that capability and deterrent.”
In 2014, the South Korean Defense Ministry said the North had stockpiled 2,500 to 5,000 tons of chemical weapons and had a capacity to produce a variety of biological weapons.In 2014, the South Korean Defense Ministry said the North had stockpiled 2,500 to 5,000 tons of chemical weapons and had a capacity to produce a variety of biological weapons.
Kim Jong-un has a history of resorting to extreme measures against his enemies. Since taking power after the death of his father, Kim Jong-il, in 2011, he has executed at least 140 senior officials, sometimes killing them with antiaircraft machine guns and even incinerating some of their bodies with flamethrowers, according to the Institute for National Security Strategy, a think tank affiliated with South Korea’s National Intelligence Service. Such measures were designed as a warning to others, South Korean officials said. Kim Jong-un has a history of resorting to extreme measures against his enemies.
Since taking power after the death of his father, Kim Jong-il, in 2011, he has executed at least 140 senior officials, sometimes killing them with antiaircraft machine guns and even incinerating some of their bodies with flamethrowers, according to the Institute for National Security Strategy, a think tank affiliated with South Korea’s National Intelligence Service. Such measures were designed as a warning to others, South Korean officials said.
Lee Byong-chul, a nonproliferation expert at the Institute for Peace and Cooperation in Seoul, said the use of VX nerve agent highlights the proliferation threat posed by North Korea, noting that it has been accused of providing chemical weapons technology to Syria since the 1990s.Lee Byong-chul, a nonproliferation expert at the Institute for Peace and Cooperation in Seoul, said the use of VX nerve agent highlights the proliferation threat posed by North Korea, noting that it has been accused of providing chemical weapons technology to Syria since the 1990s.
Shipments of gas masks, gas detectors and other protective gear bound for Syria from North Korea were intercepted in 2009 and 2013.Shipments of gas masks, gas detectors and other protective gear bound for Syria from North Korea were intercepted in 2009 and 2013.
If confirmed, Mr. Lee said, the use of VX nerve agent by North Korea will very likely weaken the Trump administration’s appetite for reopening nuclear disarmament talks, especially after its recent test of what it called a new type of intermediate-range ballistic missile.If confirmed, Mr. Lee said, the use of VX nerve agent by North Korea will very likely weaken the Trump administration’s appetite for reopening nuclear disarmament talks, especially after its recent test of what it called a new type of intermediate-range ballistic missile.
China has been the most vocal proponent of new negotiations, but its relations with North Korea have deteriorated sharply. Pyongyang criticized Beijing this week as “dancing to the tune of the U.S.”China has been the most vocal proponent of new negotiations, but its relations with North Korea have deteriorated sharply. Pyongyang criticized Beijing this week as “dancing to the tune of the U.S.”
Steve Vickers, a security consultant based in Hong Kong, said that Mr. Kim’s assassination will be seen as a further insult to China, which had protected him for years by allowing him to live in the Chinese territory of Macau. Steve Vickers, a security consultant based in Hong Kong, said that Mr. Kim’s assassination would be seen as a further insult to China, which had protected him for years by allowing him to live in the Chinese territory of Macau.
“This is clearly an embarrassment for the Chinese state security and to a lesser extent to the Malaysian government,” he said. “This is clearly an embarrassment for the Chinese state security and to a lesser extent to the Malaysian government,” Mr. Vickers said.