NKorea sends diplomats to claim leader's brother’s body

By P Prem Kumar

KUALA LUMPUR (AA) - A North Korean delegation has arrived in Malaysia aiming to retrieve the body of leader Kim Jong-un’s half-brother.

The delegation arrived at the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday evening, led by the country's former deputy ambassador to the United Nations, Ri Tong-il.

Ri, who emerged outside of the embassy minutes later to read a statement, said the delegation came to Malaysia to discuss three important issues with local authorities.

Claiming the body of Kim Jong-nam, who Malaysian police said was poisoned by two foreign women at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Feb. 13, topped the list.

“Number one: the question of the return of the body of the deceased, a North Korea citizen who died in the Malaysian airport in Kuala Lumpur on the 13th of February,” Ri said.

"Number two: the question of the release of a North Korean citizen arrested by Malaysian police related to the above incident.”

Ri added that the delegation would also be seeking the "development of friendly relationships" between North Korea and Malaysia by means of the visit.

After reading the statement, he declined to take any questions from reporters gathered outside the embassy.

Kim Jong-nam is believed to have been killed with a deadly nerve toxin known as VX that was wiped on his face by the two suspects at the airport while waiting to fly to Macau.