UPDATE ON THE KILLING OF PRESIDENT KIM'S BROTHER
Picture emerges of Kim Jong-nam slumped over moments before death as second autopsy to be conducted
AMalaysian newspaper has published a picture it says shows the last moments of Kim Jong-nam's life before the half brother of North Korean dictator died after apparently being poisoned.
The New Straits Times said the image of Kim Jong-nam slumped in a chair in Kuala Lumpur International Airport was one of the last images of him alive.
It came as a 46-year-old man holding a North Korean passport was arrested in a raid on an apartment in Malaysia by police investigating the death.
The man was identified as Ri Jong Chol, born in 1970. He was arrested on Friday night in Selangor, near Kuala Lumpur, the police said in a statement.
"He is suspected to be involved in the death of a North Korean male," read the statement.
Malaysia's Star newspaper reported the man was detained around 11pm on Friday evening.
Three more men were still being sought in connection with the killing of the 45-year-old at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Monday, while two women - carrying Indonesian and Vietnamese passports - are being questioned over their involvement in the case.
Mr Kim, who was waiting to board a flight to Macau, died after a chemical was apparently either sprayed or wiped on his face with a cloth. An autopsy has been conducted but a senior Malaysian official said a second examination would have to be carried out as the result of the first one was inconclusive.
Under tight security, the two women carried out a reconstruction of the attack at the airport on Friday. According to local media, one of the women has told police that she was paid $100 to take part in a "prank"by a man she met three months ago as part of a television programme.
The arrest of a North Korean national would support suggestions that Kim Jong-nam was assassinated on the orders of his half-brother. Kim Jong-un has been ruthless in eliminating opposition - real or perceived - to his rule since inheriting the dictatorship in December 2011.
He is the fourth person to be arrested in connection with the murder. As well as the two women, a Malaysian security source said police had earlier detained a 25-year-old Malaysian male on Wednesday evening. The detainee is believed to be the boyfriend of Siti Aishah, the Indonesian suspect. He is not thought to be involved in the case, but merely used to provide information leading to the arrest of Aishah.
The Malaysian government, meanwhile, is coming under increasing pressure from North Korean diplomats over the case.
Kang Chol, the North Korean ambassador to Kuala Lumpur, on Friday issued a statement in which he demanded that the body of Mr Kim be immediately handed over to his care and accused Malaysia of collaborating with "hostile forces" attempting to harm North Korea.
The statement also appeared to be attempting to sow additional confusion by claiming that Malaysian authorities had initially claimed that Mr Kim had died of a heart attack.
Mr Kang added that Pyongyang "will categorically reject the result of the post-mortem" on the grounds that it was conducted against North Korea's wishes and without a representative of the regime present.
"This is the culmination of the violation of human rights and infringing upon our citizen, disregarding the elementary international laws and consular laws", the statement said.
It added that Malaysian authorities were attempting to "conceal something" and "are colluding with the hostile forces towards us who are desperate to harm us".
The statement added that North Korea - which has previously had a fairly close working relationship with Malaysia - will "respond strongly to the moves of the hostile forces towards us", including by filing a complaint to the International Court of Justice.
On Saturday, the inspector general of Malaysian police dismissed the ambassador's claims that the release of Mr Kim's remains was being deliberately delayed.
The official told the Bernama news agency that the investigation could not be completed until DNA has been obtained that conclusively confirms Mr Kim's identity.
"Their lawyers can advise them", Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said. "We have rules in Malaysia. While in Malaysia, everyone has to"obey and follow our rules and regulations. That includes North Korea".
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