Fourth suspect arrested is North Korean

One of the four, identified as North Korean citizen Ri Jong Chol

PETALING JAYA - The police have named the North Korean national they arrested last night over the killing of the North Korean leader’s half brother in Malaysia as Ri Jong Chol. He is 47 years old.

Ri is one of four men the police are chasing in a massive manhunt as the four were said to have instigated the two women accused of carrying out the murder by poisoning Kim Jong Nam at klia2.

In a statement, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said the North Korean suspect was arrested in Selangor at 9.50 pm.

He was identified by his I-Kad an identification launched three years ago to make sure registered foreign workers have an identification document to help the authorities check their personal information, including the company they are working for. It is issued once a foreign worker renews their work permit.

Previously, The Star reported that a man in possession of North Korean passport was arrested in a raid at a condominium in Jalan Kuchai Lama, Kuala Lumpur yesterday night.

Police were reported as saying that two women and four men were the prime suspects in the incident.

On Wednesday, police had arrested a woman who held a Vietnamese passport, bearing the name Doan Thi Huong, after she went back to the same airport to board a flight to Vietnam.

Then, on early Thursday morning, the police raided a room at a hotel in Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, to arrest the second woman. She was carrying an Indonesian passport which stated her name as Siti Aisyah, and that she was from the town of Serang, in a province which neighbours Jakarta.

Both the women were identified based on CCTV footage which was taken from the klia2 terminal on the day of the incident.

The third suspect in police custody is a Malaysian in his twenties and is said to be Siti Aisyah’s boyfriend.

With the latest arrest, three more men are still on the loose.

Kim Jong Nam, who is the eldest son of former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, arrived in Malaysia on Feb 6, and was scheduled to board a 9am flight to Macau on Monday.

While at klia2, he was approached by a woman who sprayed him with a liquid, while another woman held a cloth over his face.

He asked for help at the klia2 service counter but died on the way to the hospital.