Jong Nam murder suspect caught playing snooker in embassy

Jong Nam murder suspect caught playing snooker in embassy

All-Nippon News Network (ANN News), operated by Asahi TV, aired the one-minute video.

Kim-Uk-Il-1
KUALA LUMPUR:
A man wanted by the police to facilitate investigations into last month’s murder of Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, was recorded busy playing snooker at the North Korean Embassy here.

On Monday, All-Nippon News Network (ANN News), operated by Asahi TV, aired the one-minute video footage showing the suspect resembling Kim Uk Il, busy playing the game with a few others on the second floor of the embassy building in Jalan Batai, Bukit Damansara.

On Feb 22, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said the police were seeking Uk Il, 37, an employee of North Korean airline, Air Koryo, to shed light on Jong Nam’s murder.

Apart from Uk Il, the police were also looking for other suspects, namely the embassy’s second secretary, Kwang Hyon Song, 44, who was still “hiding” at the embassy building, as well as Ri Ji U, 30, also known as “James”, still believed to be in the country.

On March 16, Khalid said the police received the “Interpol Red Notice” from the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) for the arrest of four other North Korean suspects who had left the country.

The “Interpol Red Notice” is the closest instrument to an international arrest warrant.

On Feb 13, Jong Nam was assassinated by two foreign women who daubed his face with the VX nerve agent while he was waiting at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (klia2) for a flight to Macau.

The victim, who carried a passport bearing the name, Kim Chol, died on the way to the Putrajaya Hospital.

On Sunday, Khalid said several individuals would be detained in connection with the murder and that their identities could not be disclosed to smoothen investigations.

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