Kim Jong-nam murder: N.Korean detainee freed

Jong-nam, 45, the estranged half-brother of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un, was assassinated on Feb 13 at klia2 by two women who were believed to have poisoned him.

It is unclear what Mr. Ri’s suspected role was in the murder.

Ri’s release came two days after two women – one Vietnamese and one Indonesian – were charged with murdering the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un with a deadly nerve agent.

The security camera footage, which has been released in the media, showed the two women approaching Jong Nam at the airport departure hall and rubbing a cloth over his face. Kim died within 20 minutes, authorities say. There are thought to be about 1,000 North Koreans living in the country.

Police said three other North Korean suspects, including an official at the North Korean Embassy and an employee of Air Koryo, North Korea’s national carrier, are believed to still be in the country. Both say they were duped into thinking they were playing a harmless prank.

Neither woman was asked to enter a plea Wednesday and their trial is not expected to begin for several months. The measures included seeking a lawyer for Hương in line with Malaysia’s legal regulations, the Consular Department said.

Selvam added his client was “nervous as she is facing a murder charge”.

“Malaysia categorically rejects any such insinuation”, it said.

The association’s chairman, Do Ngoc Thinh, said Malaysian laws do not allow foreign lawyers to practice in their country, but Vietnam can find ways through diplomatic channels for its lawyers to help Huong.

He was arrested on February 17, four days after Kim was attacked at Kuala Lumpur’s airport.

More than 100 heavily armed police, some wearing balaclavas and wielding automatic weapons, had secured the court.

Seoul has said from the start that the isolated North is behind the Cold War-style assassination.

The ministry said Malaysia valued highly the important work being carried out by the UNSC Sanctions Committee on North Korea by ensuring the full implementation of all the relevant resolutions. All bore labels from “Glocom”, a shadowy company purportedly based in Malaysia which specialices in radios and other gear for “military and para-military organisations, the United Nations report said”.

Attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali said there is “not enough evidence to prosecute him”.

He is understood to be taking shelter at the North Korean Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

“North Korea has no hesitation in removing any threat to the one-man leadership”, Thae stressed.

“In case it is proved by the two separate worldwide laboratories, with the same conclusion, then they should come to identify who is the one that made it”.