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Kim Jong-nam: Body 'arrives in Pyongyang' in exchange deal Kim Jong-nam: Body 'arrives in Pyongyang' in exchange deal
(about 2 hours later)
The body of Kim Jong-nam, half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, has arrived in Pyongyang, Chinese officials say.The body of Kim Jong-nam, half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, has arrived in Pyongyang, Chinese officials say.
North Korea had requested the body, but has not confirmed its identity.North Korea had requested the body, but has not confirmed its identity.
It was released as part of a deal under which nine Malaysians previously prevented from leaving North Korea have now arrived home.It was released as part of a deal under which nine Malaysians previously prevented from leaving North Korea have now arrived home.
The two countries had been locked in a diplomatic row in the wake of the killing in Kuala Lumpur last month. The two countries had been locked in a diplomatic row in the wake of Mr Kim's murder in Kuala Lumpur last month.
Both countries had banned each other's citizens from leaving.Both countries had banned each other's citizens from leaving.
Three North Koreans have been allowed to leave Malaysia, Malaysia's chief of police said.
"The body of the DPRK citizen who died in Malaysia and relevant DPRK citizens have returned to the DPRK today via Beijing," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said during a regular press briefing, using the country's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea."The body of the DPRK citizen who died in Malaysia and relevant DPRK citizens have returned to the DPRK today via Beijing," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said during a regular press briefing, using the country's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
North Korea is widely suspected to have orchestrated Mr Kim's murder with a nerve agent in Kuala Lumpur's airport. North Korea is widely suspected of having orchestrated the killing with a nerve agent in Kuala Lumpur's airport.
The late Kim Jong-il's eldest son was passed over for the leadership and was living outside North Korea at the time of his death. Three North Koreans who had been wanted for questioning have now been allowed to leave Malaysia, Malaysia's chief of police said.
The nine Malaysian nationals were met by their relatives and a large media contingent at Kuala Lumpur airport early on Friday. "We have obtained whatever we wanted from them'' and are "satisfied" with the statements, Khalid Abu Bakar said.
Those who have returned include the country's counsellor to North Korea, Mohd Nor Azrin Md Zain, embassy staff, and their families. Who requested the body?
They were flown home in a business jet plane piloted by members of the Malaysian air force. In the wake of Mr Kim's killing on 13 February, Pyongyang reacted angrily when Malaysia refused to hand over the body immediately, without an autopsy.
What was the spat about? Malaysian authorities said they had the right to conduct an autopsy as he had been killed on Malaysian soil, and that they would only release the body to Mr Kim's family.
Following Mr Kim's killing on 13 February, North Korean officials demanded that the body be handed to them immediately without an autopsy. On Thursday, Mr Najib said a formal request had been received from the family, but gave no further details.
Pyongyang reacted angrily when Malaysia refused their requests. A day later, national police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said "legally speaking, Kim Jong Un is the next-of-kin" but declined to say who the request had come from.
Malaysian authorities said they had the right to conduct an autopsy as he had been killed on Malaysian soil, and said they would only release the body to Mr Kim's family. King Jong-nam's own family previously lived in Macau but they are now thought to be in hiding.
This prompted a war of words where North Korea's ambassador Kang Chol accused Malaysia of colluding with "hostile forces", allegations which Kuala Lumpur dubbed as "delusions, lies and half-truths". His son Kim Han-sol appeared in a video earlier this month confirming he was with his mother and sister at an unspecified location.
Although he was the eldest son of the former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, Kim Jong-un was passed over for the leadership and was living outside North Korea at the time of his father's death.
How did the spat unfold?
Malaysia's refusal to hand over the body prompted a war of words. North Korea's ambassador Kang Chol accused Malaysia of colluding with "hostile forces", allegations which Kuala Lumpur dubbed as "delusions, lies and half-truths".
Kang Chol was expelled and the Malaysian ambassador to North Korea was also recalled.Kang Chol was expelled and the Malaysian ambassador to North Korea was also recalled.
Pyongyang then said it would ban all Malaysians in North Korea from leaving until the "situation was resolved", which Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak called an "abhorrent act" that effectively held his citizens hostage.Pyongyang then said it would ban all Malaysians in North Korea from leaving until the "situation was resolved", which Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak called an "abhorrent act" that effectively held his citizens hostage.
Kuala Lumpur enacted a tit-for-tat exit ban on North Koreans.Kuala Lumpur enacted a tit-for-tat exit ban on North Koreans.
How was it resolved?How was it resolved?
Malaysian officials have not hesitated in branding the return of their citizens as a triumph of diplomatic deal-making. Under the deal, the nine Malaysian nationals returned to Kuala Lumpur early on Friday, where they were met by relatives.
On Friday morning Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman told reporters: "There can be no substitute for diplomacy, for level-headedness in dealing with such situations, and this has served Malaysia well in this instance." They include the country's counsellor to North Korea, Mohd Nor Azrin Md Zain, embassy staff, and their families.
But the exact circumstances of how the deal was struck remain unclear. The exact circumstances of how the deal was struck remain unclear. Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak described the negotiations as "challenging".
Mr Najib had said earlier that, after challenging negotiations, all North Koreans would be allowed to leave Malaysia - which probably includes those wanted by Malaysian police for questioning. Foreign Minister Anifah Aman hailed the exchange as a success of diplomacy and "level-headedness".
Japanese news agency Kyodo said two men resembling two wanted North Koreans were seen on a Beijing-bound flight transporting Mr Kim's body on Friday. Reuters reported that television footage showed two North Koreans on the flight to Beijing with the body: Hyon Kwang Song, the second secretary at the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur, and Kim Uk Il, a North Korean state airline employee.
The men are thought to be Hyon Kwang Song, the second secretary at the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur, and Kim Uk Il, an employee of North Korea's state airline Air Koryo. The third was named Ri Ji U, who had been holed up with them in the North Korean Embassy, Reuters quoted the chief of police as saying.
The two men were previously reported to have been holed up in the embassy and refused to take part in investigations.
What's happened to the body?
Mr Kim's body was released to North Korea and flown first to Beijing, and then on to Pyongyang.
Malaysia had previously said it would not release the body until a request came from family members.
On Thursday, Mr Najib said a formal request had been received from the family, but did not give further details. It is not known who exactly requested the body.
Mr Kim's own family previously lived in Macau but they are now thought to be in hiding.
His son Kim Han-sol appeared in a video earlier this month confirming he was with his mother and sister at an unspecified location.