A former North Korean diplomat has warned that 22-year-old Kim Han-sol may be the next target for assasination following the Feb 13 hit of his father, Kim Jong-nam at KLIA2.

South Korean news agency Yonhap, picking up Japanese news reports, quoted Thae Yong-ho, who was former minister at London’s North Korean embassy, saying the youth could be a barrier to his uncle's pursuit of power.

“Behind it all, there’s Kim Jong-un’s desire to solidify his legitimacy as the leader,” Thae was reported telling Japanese correspondents in Seoul on Wednesday.

He said Jong-nam had been “the biggest obstacle” to Jong-un’s push for long-term power in North Korea, which, he added, was “heavily influenced by Confucian culture”.

“Kim Jong-nam’s acceptance of foreign media interviews increased the possibility of his presence being known inside North Korea, burdening Kim Jong-un,”he added.

Although Jong-nam was now dead, his son, Han Sol, could also be a problem for his, the former diplomat was quoted as saying.

According to the Yonhap report, Thae claimed Han-sol was “a being that cannot be tolerated from the perspective of Kim Jong-un”.

He warned: “It remains to be seen how possible his survival would be."

Thae's warning comes after the release of a video showing a man claiming to be Han-sol. The 40-second clip was sent to Channel NewsAsia by a group calling itself Cheollima Civil Defense.