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Malay police confirm N. Korean assassination victim as Kim Jong-nam: reports

By Bae Hyun-jung

Published : March 10, 2017 - 20:13

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The Malaysian police verified Friday the identity of the North Korean killed in the country last month as Kim Jong-nam, the half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, officially confirming his assassination, Malaysian news reports said.

Malaysian police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said every possible action has been taken to verify his identity as he confirmed the victim as Kim Jong-nam, Malaysian news outlets including the Star reported.

Malaysian police chief Khalid Abu Bakar (Yonhap) Malaysian police chief Khalid Abu Bakar (Yonhap)

The police chief, however, did not disclose what methodology the police used in the verification process and whether the family of Kim Jong-nam has provided a DNA sample for the verification.

Kim Jong-nam, the eldest son of late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, was killed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Feb. 13 after two women smeared his face with VX nerve agent. The Malaysian police later fingered several North Koreans, including a Kuala Lumpur-based diplomat, as suspects, suggesting that the North Korean regime was behind the killing.  

North Korea, however, denied the victim's identity, claiming that he is a different person named Kim Chol, citing the fabricated passport Kim was holding. (Yonhap)