The half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been killed in an apparent assassination at Kuala Lumpur International Airport while waiting for a plane to Macau.
Kim Jong-nam, who fled North Korea in 2011 after being overlooked for the leadership, was attacked at 10.00 on Monday with a toxic liquid sprayed over his face, according to Malaysia’s Star newspaper. He died while being transported to hospital.
The exact nature of the attack remains unclear, with Kim having apparently told a receptionist that, “someone had grabbed him from behind and splashed liquid on his face” while others said a cloth had been used to cover his face.
Kim was flying under an assumed name at the time, having allegedly been targeted for assassination previously after speaking out publicly against his half-brother’s leadership. He has spent most of his time over the past five years in Macau, mainland China and Singapore.
