This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/30/malaysia-to-release-body-of-kim-jong-nam-in-deal-with-north-korea

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Malaysia to release body of Kim Jong-nam in deal with North Korea Malaysia to release body of Kim Jong-nam in deal with North Korea
(35 minutes later)
Malaysia has agreed to release the body of Kim Jong-nam to North Korea in exchange for the return of nine Malaysians held in Pyongyang.Malaysia has agreed to release the body of Kim Jong-nam to North Korea in exchange for the return of nine Malaysians held in Pyongyang.
Relations between Malaysia and North Korea have been badly frayed by the murder of the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at Kuala Lumpur’s airport. Both countries withdrew their ambassadors and North Korea blocked nine Malaysians from leaving the country. Malaysia responded in kind, barring North Koreans from exiting its soil, including three suspects believed to be hiding in the North Korean embassy. Relations between Malaysia and North Korea have been badly frayed by the murder of the half-brother of North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, at Kuala Lumpur’s airport. Both countries withdrew their ambassadors and North Korea blocked nine Malaysians from leaving the country. Malaysia responded in kind, preventing the departure of North Koreans, including three suspects believed to be hiding in the North Korean embassy.
Following negotiations that he described as “very sensitive”, the prime minister, Najib Razak, said on Thursday that North Korea had allowed the nine Malaysians to leave, and that Malaysia had agreed to release Kim’s remains to North Korea. He did not say whether Kim’s body had already left Malaysia.Following negotiations that he described as “very sensitive”, the prime minister, Najib Razak, said on Thursday that North Korea had allowed the nine Malaysians to leave, and that Malaysia had agreed to release Kim’s remains to North Korea. He did not say whether Kim’s body had already left Malaysia.
Earlier, a van was seen leaving the morgue where Kim’s body was being held, after which police guards were removed.Earlier, a van was seen leaving the morgue where Kim’s body was being held, after which police guards were removed.
Najib said in a statement that Malaysia would also “allow North Koreans to leave Malaysia” as part of the agreement. It was not clear whether that included the three suspects wanted by police and believed to be hiding in the embassy. They include an embassy employee and an Air Koryo worker. Four other North Korean suspects left the country on the day Kim was killed. Najib said in a statement that Malaysia would allow North Koreans to leave the country as part of the agreement. It was not clear whether that included the three suspects wanted by police. They include an embassy employee and an Air Koryo worker. Four other North Korean suspects left the country on the day Kim was killed.
“Following the completion of the autopsy on the deceased and receipt of a letter from his family requesting the remains be returned to North Korea, the coroner has approved release of the body,” Najib said.“Following the completion of the autopsy on the deceased and receipt of a letter from his family requesting the remains be returned to North Korea, the coroner has approved release of the body,” Najib said.
North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency confirmed the agreement, saying the two sides had pledged to “guarantee the safety and security” of each other’s citizens, and that Malaysia had agreed to transfer the body “to the family of the deceased” in North Korea. Kim, however, is believed to have children with women living in Macau and Beijing, not in North Korea.North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency confirmed the agreement, saying the two sides had pledged to “guarantee the safety and security” of each other’s citizens, and that Malaysia had agreed to transfer the body “to the family of the deceased” in North Korea. Kim, however, is believed to have children with women living in Macau and Beijing, not in North Korea.
Government officials could not immediately be reached for further details.Government officials could not immediately be reached for further details.
Custody of the body had been a flashpoint as relations between Malaysia and North Korea deteriorated sharply.
Kim was poisoned on 13 February in a crowded terminal at the airport. According to Malaysian investigators, two young women approached Kim as he waited for a flight and smeared VX nerve agent – a banned chemical weapon – on his face. He was dead within 20 minutes. North Korea, which is widely suspected to be behind the attack, has rejected the autopsy findings.Kim was poisoned on 13 February in a crowded terminal at the airport. According to Malaysian investigators, two young women approached Kim as he waited for a flight and smeared VX nerve agent – a banned chemical weapon – on his face. He was dead within 20 minutes. North Korea, which is widely suspected to be behind the attack, has rejected the autopsy findings.
Oh Ei Sun, an adjunct senior fellow with Singapore’s Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said he wouldn’t be surprised if the three North Korean suspects at the embassy had been allowed to leave as part of the deal.Oh Ei Sun, an adjunct senior fellow with Singapore’s Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said he wouldn’t be surprised if the three North Korean suspects at the embassy had been allowed to leave as part of the deal.
“This is not a surprise. North Korea has been performing despicable deeds around the world such as kidnapping and assassinations throughout the decades with impunity,” Oh said. He said he thought North Korea might have asked for more, such as demanding that Malaysia change its autopsy finding to conclude that Kim died of a heart attack. “This is not a surprise,” Oh said. “North Korea has been performing despicable deeds around the world, such as kidnapping and assassinations, throughout the decades with impunity.”
He said he thought North Korea might have asked for more, such as demanding that Malaysia change its autopsy finding to conclude that Kim died of a heart attack.
Experts say the VX nerve agent was almost certainly produced in a sophisticated state weapons laboratory, and North Korea is widely believed to possess large quantities of chemical weapons.Experts say the VX nerve agent was almost certainly produced in a sophisticated state weapons laboratory, and North Korea is widely believed to possess large quantities of chemical weapons.
North Korea has denied any role in the killing and denounced the investigation as flawed and politically motivated. North Korea does not even acknowledge the victim is Kim Jong-nam, referring to him instead as Kim Chol, the name on the passport he was carrying when he died.North Korea has denied any role in the killing and denounced the investigation as flawed and politically motivated. North Korea does not even acknowledge the victim is Kim Jong-nam, referring to him instead as Kim Chol, the name on the passport he was carrying when he died.
North Korea had demanded custody of the body because the victim was one of its citizens. But Malaysia refused, in part because it needed to formally identify the body, which it now says it has done, using DNA from his son. North Korea had demanded custody of the body because the victim was one of its citizens. But Malaysia refused, in part because it needed to formally identify the body, which it now says it has done, using DNA from Kim’s son.
The two women accused of wiping Kim’s face with the poison have been charged with murder. The two – an Indonesian and a Vietnamese – say they were duped into thinking they were taking part in a hidden-camera prank TV show. The two women accused of wiping Kim’s face with the poison have been charged with murder. Siti Aisyah of Indonesia and Doan Thi Huong of Vietnam say they were duped into thinking they were taking part in a hidden-camera prank TV show.