Assassination Trial

[Anchor Lead]

Malaysian police say that the male suspects thought to be involved in the assassination of the North Korean leader’s half-brother Kim Jong-nam are North Koreans. This is the first time that Malaysian authorities have revealed the nationality of the suspects, even as the North continues to deny involvement in the assassination.

[Pkg]

At a trial hearing on the assassination of Kim Jong-nam, Malaysian police revealed the names and identities of four male suspects who fled after the murder. First, a man who used the alias "Hanamori" and directed the assassination on the site is a 57-year-old North Korean named Ri Jae-nam. And two men known as Chang and Y who had applied and provided the chemical weapon VX nerve agent to the Indonesian and Vietnamese women were confirmed to be Hong Song-hac and Ri Ji-hyon.

[Soundbite] Ahmad(Prosecutor /Oct. 24) : "We have shown "Y" and "Chang". So perhaps tomorrow we will show another two suspects."

And the man known as James who had checked out of a hotel at the airport while Kim Jong-nam was being attacked was identified as O Jong-gil. Malaysian police presented as evidence surveillance camera footage showing the four men meeting a North Korean embassy official and a staffer from the North Korean national flag carrier Air Koryo at the airport's departure terminal shortly after the attack. This is the first time that Malaysian police identified the four suspects as North Korean nationals since a trial on the assassination began on October second. It appears that Malaysian authorities have realized the need to disclose related information, as North Korea has been denying the allegations that it was behind the murder of Kim Jong-nam.