Politics
10:57, 28-Jul-2017
Kim Jong Nam suspects trial set for October in Malaysia
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The trial for the two women accused of killing the estranged half brother of Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) leader Kim Jong-un will begin on October 2, Malaysia's High Court said on Friday.
The two women were escorted by police to the Shah Alam High Court for a hearing in Malaysia on Friday.
Local authorities deployed a team of 256 police officers and security personnel outside the court in case of emergency.
The two suspects, 25-year-old Indonesian Siti Aisyah and 29-year-old Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, were charged with poisoning Kim Jong Nam with the deadly VX nerve agent in Kuala Lumpur International Airport on February 13. VX nerve agent is a chemical the United Nations describes as a weapon of mass destruction.
Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, who is charged for the murder of Kim Jong Nam, is
escorted by police as she leaves Sepang court, in Malaysia on April 13, 2017. /Reuters Photo
Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, who is charged for the murder of Kim Jong Nam, is escorted by police as she leaves Sepang court, in Malaysia on April 13, 2017. /Reuters Photo
The women argued that they were duped into doing a prank show for a hidden camera.
They could face the death penalty if convicted.
The attack sparked the diplomatic row between DPRK and Malaysia, including travel bans and recalling of diplomats between the two countries.
DPRK was angered by Malaysian authorities, who alleged DPRK nationals were involved in the case, including a diplomat at its embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
DPRK and Malaysia later issued a joint statement in the end of March in which the two countries came to an agreement that the body of Kim Jong Nam will be returned to the DPRK, saying that both countries managed to "resolve issues arising from the death" at a meeting in Kuala Lumpur.
The two countries then agreed to lift the travel ban imposed on each other's citizens and guarantee their safety and security within their respective territories, which would allow the nine Malaysians in Pyongyang to return to Malaysia and the DPRK citizens in Kuala Lumpur to depart Malaysia.
Kim Jong Nam, who used the name "Kim Chol" in his passport, died on his way to hospital after the attack.
Kim had been staying in Malaysia since February 6 and was on his way to his adopted home in Macao when the attack took place.
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