The North Korean Embassy has appointed Jagjit Singh, a lawyer who once represented notorious criminal Wong Swee Chin, otherwise known as "Botak Chin", to hold a watching brief in the Kim Jong-nam murder trial.

Speaking to reporters after the case was mentioned and transferred to the High Court in Shah Alam, Jagjit said he was first engaged by the North Koreans on March 2 this year.

He said he had helped three North Korean suspects in the case to return to their home country. 

"We worked behind the scenes, negotiated with the government for them to send the three back," he said. 

The three he said he helped were North Korean chemist Ri Jong Chol, Air Koryo staff Kim Uk Il, and North Korean Embassy second secretary Hyong Kwan Song.

Today was the first time Jagjit had appeared in court to represent the embassy.

Protecting North Korean interests

Jagjit said his task is to protect the embassy's interests, and to report back what had transpired in court. 

Besides Botak Chin, the 75-year-old had previously represented Yim Pek Ha, who was jailed for abusing Indonesian maid Nirmala Bonat.

Jong Nam, who is the half brother of North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong-un, was murdered at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 on Feb 13.

Two women, Indonesian Siti Aisyah and Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, are said to have smeared a toxic substance on the victim in the airport lobby.

It was later established that the assailants had used the VX nerve agent.

Besides Siti Aisyah and Doan, four other suspects at large, believed to be North Koreans, are wanted in connection with the incident.