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| Women Suspected in Killing of Kim Jong-nam Are Charged | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Two women were charged with murder in a Kuala Lumpur court on Wednesday in connection with the assassination of Kim Jong-nam, the estranged half brother of the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un. | |
| Siti Aisyah, 25, of Indonesia, and Doan Thi Huong, 28, of Vietnam, could receive the death penalty. The police said the two women rubbed a deadly nerve agent on Mr. Kim’s face as he prepared to check in for a flight at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on the morning of Feb. 13. | Siti Aisyah, 25, of Indonesia, and Doan Thi Huong, 28, of Vietnam, could receive the death penalty. The police said the two women rubbed a deadly nerve agent on Mr. Kim’s face as he prepared to check in for a flight at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on the morning of Feb. 13. |
| The women were charged as North Korea began a diplomatic effort to repair the damage from the killing, sending delegations to Beijing and Kuala Lumpur in a rare bit of outreach by the reclusive nation as it faced accusations that it had carried out the brazen assassination. | |
| The delegation to Beijing was led by Vice Foreign Minister Ri Gil-song, said the North’s official Korean Central News Agency, which did not provide further details. The Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed that Mr. Ri was visiting at its invitation and would meet with China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi. | The delegation to Beijing was led by Vice Foreign Minister Ri Gil-song, said the North’s official Korean Central News Agency, which did not provide further details. The Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed that Mr. Ri was visiting at its invitation and would meet with China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi. |
| Mr. Ri is the most senior North Korean official to visit Beijing since a delegation met with President Xi Jinping of China in May. His trip came five days after the North lashed out at China in unusually bitter language for tightening sanctions by suspending all coal imports from North Korea for the rest of the year, depriving North Korea of one of its most important sources of hard currency. | Mr. Ri is the most senior North Korean official to visit Beijing since a delegation met with President Xi Jinping of China in May. His trip came five days after the North lashed out at China in unusually bitter language for tightening sanctions by suspending all coal imports from North Korea for the rest of the year, depriving North Korea of one of its most important sources of hard currency. |
| The two women charged in Mr. Kim’s murder were arrested soon after the Feb. 13 attack and have said they thought they were participating in a prank. | |
| The police have also arrested a North Korean man, Ri Jong-chol, and are seeking seven others. South Korean officials have accused the North Korean government of ordering the assassination. There was no word yet on whether Malaysian officials would charge Ri Jong-chol in the attack. | The police have also arrested a North Korean man, Ri Jong-chol, and are seeking seven others. South Korean officials have accused the North Korean government of ordering the assassination. There was no word yet on whether Malaysian officials would charge Ri Jong-chol in the attack. |
| With relations between Malaysia and North Korea fraying over the killing, a high-level North Korean delegation, including the former deputy ambassador to the United Nations, Ri Dong-il, arrived in the Malaysian capital to discuss taking Mr. Kim’s body to North Korea, the South Korean news agency Yonhap reported from Kuala Lumpur. | With relations between Malaysia and North Korea fraying over the killing, a high-level North Korean delegation, including the former deputy ambassador to the United Nations, Ri Dong-il, arrived in the Malaysian capital to discuss taking Mr. Kim’s body to North Korea, the South Korean news agency Yonhap reported from Kuala Lumpur. |
| Ri Dong-il, the envoy, said he also would demand the release of Ri Jong-chol, Yonhap reported. | Ri Dong-il, the envoy, said he also would demand the release of Ri Jong-chol, Yonhap reported. |
| “We are here to discuss human rights issues and find an agreement,” Mr. Ri told reporters outside the North Korean Embassy. | “We are here to discuss human rights issues and find an agreement,” Mr. Ri told reporters outside the North Korean Embassy. |
| North Korea is widely considered to have one of the world’s worst human rights records, one that includes enslavement and torture of political prisoners, extrajudicial executions and forced abortions. | North Korea is widely considered to have one of the world’s worst human rights records, one that includes enslavement and torture of political prisoners, extrajudicial executions and forced abortions. |
| Mr. Ri also said he would discuss “strengthening friendly relations” with Malaysia. | Mr. Ri also said he would discuss “strengthening friendly relations” with Malaysia. |
| Whether Malaysia is prepared to discuss friendly relations remains to be seen. Officials at the Malaysian Foreign Ministry declined to comment on the standoff over the release of the body and the detention of the North Korean suspect. | Whether Malaysia is prepared to discuss friendly relations remains to be seen. Officials at the Malaysian Foreign Ministry declined to comment on the standoff over the release of the body and the detention of the North Korean suspect. |