The police have issued a warrant of arrest for an employee of the North Korean airline Air Koryo to assist in the investigation into the murder of a North Korean in Malaysia on Feb 13.  

Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar, in a WhatsApp message to Bernama, said the warrant was issued against Kim Uk-il, 37, to assist in the probe into the killing of Kim Chol.

It has been established that Kim Chol was actually Kim Jong-nam, the estranged elder half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Khalid said the police had also sent a request through the Foreign Ministry seeking the cooperation of the second secretary at the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur, to assist in the investigation as well. 

Replying to a question, he said the letter sent via Wisma Putra had been delivered to the embassy.

Khalid had said previously that the police would adhere to international protocol to obtain information from the diplomat, who has diplomatic immunity.

It had been reported earlier that Jong-nam was at KLIA 2 at 8am on Feb 13 to board a flight to Macau when two women suddenly appeared before him and allegedly wiped his face with what was later identified as the VX nerve agent.

Jong-nam sought help at a customer service counter at the airport and was rushed to the Putrajaya Hospital but died on the way. He had come to Malaysia on Feb 6.

Last Wednesday, Indonesian woman Siti Aisyah, 25, and Vietnamese woman Doan Thi Huong, 29, were charged in the Sepang Magistrate's Court with the murder of Jong-nam.

Meanwhile, a North Korean man, Ri Jong-chol, 47, detained over the murder, is in the process of being deported to North Korea.

- Bernama