North Korean airline office in Malaysia mysteriously disappears

Signs at the Air Koryo office building in Kuala Lumpur have been removed, while people refuse to answer questions about the North Korean airline.

Air Koryo, headquartered in the capital Pyongyang, is North Korea’s flagship airline. At Worldwide Highsky Sdn Bhd, the building that houses its representative office on Jalan Ampang in Kuala Lumpur, an employee declined to comment.

“No, it’s not here,” the male receptionist told The Star reporter, then shrugged and quickly closed the door when asked about Air Koryo yesterday.

Additionally, the Air Koryo sign outside the building has also been removed, although the airline's name is listed on a wall plaque as one of 24 companies based there.

It is unclear whether the removal of the sign was done under the direction of the representative office or the building management to avoid media attention.

Air Koryo flight attendants and aircraft. Photo: Twitter.

North Korea's national airline Air Koryo has drawn attention after an employee was identified by Malaysian police as a suspect in the murder of a man believed to be Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of leader Kim Jong-un.

The suspect, named Kim Uk-il, 37 years old, is believed to still be in Malaysia.

When reporters approached people who worked there, they all declined to comment when asked about Air Koryo. As a South Korean reporter filmed video of the office, two receptionists inside walked away.

Employees of other companies in the building expressed surprise when asked if they had seen Air Koryo's presence. "Is it here? I don't know," replied one South Korean businessman.

Two security guards and a cleaner also said they had never seen any North Korean airline staff.

Kim Uk-il, an employee of Air Koryo, and a man named Hyon Kwang-song are two new suspects announced by Malaysia yesterday in connection with the murder of a North Korean man with an official passport named Kim Chol on the morning of February 13 at Kuala Lumpur airport.

Kim Uk-il, an Air Koryo employee in Malaysia, was identified as a suspect. Photo: AFP

South Korean officials and the Malaysian deputy prime minister believe that Kim Chol is actually Kim Jong-nam, although the identification of the body has not been completed because no relatives have provided DNA.

Police have asked the North Korean embassy to hand over the two suspects to assist in the investigation, but it is unclear whether the two are hiding at the embassy.

According to VNE