North Korean delegation arrives in Malaysia to demand handover of body of suspected Kim Jong-nam

A North Korean delegation, including the country's former deputy ambassador to the United Nations, has arrived in Malaysia to demand that Kuala Lumpur hand over the body of the man suspected to be Kim Jong-nam.

A high-level North Korean delegation arriving in Malaysia today includes former North Korean deputy ambassador to the United Nations Ri Tong-il, AP reported.

Mr Ri said the delegation was in Kuala Lumpur to demand that Malaysia return the body of the man believed to be Kim Jong-nam, who was killed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). The delegation also wanted Malaysia to release a North Korean citizen arrested in the case and “develop friendly relations” between the two countries.

Mr. Ri Tong-il. Photo: AP.

A North Korean man carrying a passport with the name Kim Chol was attacked by two women at KLIA on the morning of February 13 while waiting for a flight to Macau, China. He died on the way to the hospital. Malaysian police have determined that he may have been poisoned with the nerve agent VX.

South Korean officials and Malaysia's deputy prime minister believe Kim Chol is Kim Jong-nam, the elder brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, although identification has not been completed.

Malaysian police arrested a female suspect holding a Vietnamese passport named Doan Thi Huong on February 15 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Siti Aisyah, an Indonesian suspect, was arrested a day later at a hotel in Ampang. Aisyah's boyfriend was also taken to the police station to assist in the investigation.

Doan Thi Huong and Siti Aisyah could be charged with attempted murder at a trial on March 1 and face the death penalty if convicted. Ri Jong-chol’s fate will be decided based on the results of the investigation.

On February 17, Malaysia arrested another citizen with a North Korean passport named Ri Jong-chol, 47 years old, suspected of being involved in the case. Ri arrived in Malaysia on August 6, 2016. On February 19, Malaysia announced that it was searching for four more suspects, all North Korean citizens, who left Malaysia on February 13.

According to VNE