North Korean diplomat behind Kim Jong-nam's death: Malaysian police chief
Malaysian police said they identified a North Korean embassy official and an airline employee in connection to the ongoing investigation without revealing details. / Yonhap
Malaysian police said Wednesday they identified two additional North Koreans, including a diplomat, as being linked to the murder of North's leader Kim Jong-un's half brother.
Malaysian police said they identified a North Korean embassy official and an airline employee in connection to the ongoing investigation without revealing details. The diplomat holds the rank of second secretary of the North's embassy in Malaysia, while the airline employee is with Air Koryo, the communist country's flag carrier.
Kim Jong-nam was killed on Feb. 13 at an airport in Malaysia after being attacked by two Asian women with what appears to be poisonous substances. He was waiting for a flight to his home in Macau.
Malaysian police arrested Ri Jong-chol, a 46-year-old North Korean man, on Friday night following the arrest of three people, including the two women. Law enforcement officials said at the time that they are looking for four more North Koreans who fled Malaysia on the day of Kim's death. Authorities here said the four are believed to have flown to Pyongyang.
"We have written to the ambassador to allow us to interview both of the newly identified people," national police Chief Khalid Abu Bakar was quoted as saying by AFP.
"We hope that the embassy will cooperate with us and allow us to interview them quickly. If not, we will compel them to come to us," the report said.
The police chief said that no family member of the murdered Kim has yet to come forward to claim his body. (Yonhap)