Chemistry Dept gets samples for analysis over death of Kim Jong-nam

KUALA LUMPUR: The Chemistry Department Thursday received for analysis several samples from the police over their investigation into the killing of Kim Jong-nam, elder half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

The director of the department's Forensics Division, Dr Cornelia Charito Siricord, said the samples were received this evening and would be analysed as soon as possible.

She declined to say what type of product it was or the number of samples delivered and whether the product was a liquid or poison.

"We did receive several samples from the police for analysis and, according to procedure especially in important cases, we will conduct the analysis as soon as possible," she said.

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi Thursday confirmed that the North Korean who died on Monday was indeed Kim Jong-nam.

Dr Cornelia said the samples would be analysed by two divisions in the department and the results would be handed over to the police.

Jong-nam was at the KLIA2 waiting for his flight to Macau when a woman covered his face with a cloth laced with poison. He died en route to the hospital in Putrajaya.

He is believed to have arrived in Malaysia from Macau on Feb 6. - Bernama