IGP: North Korean Ri Jong Chol is fourth suspect arrested

KUALA LUMPUR: The fourth suspect detained by police over the assassination of Kim Jong-nam has been identified as North Korean citizen Ri Jong Chol.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the 47-year-old suspect was detained at about 9.50pm on Friday.

Based on the i-KAD in his possession, the suspect was identified as Ri Jong Chol, born on May 6, 1970,  a citizen of the Demoractic People’s Republic of North Korea, he said in a statement on Saturday.

The suspect was arrested after police raided a condominium in Jalan Kuchai Lama on Friday.

Three more men are being hunted by police in the investigation into Jong-nam’s murder.

Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, was allegedly killed by two women who splashed his face with a chemical at the KL International Airport 2 departure hall at about 9am on Monday. He was about to leave for Macau.

On Wednesday, the first suspect, who holds a Vietnamese passport bearing the name Doan Thi Huong, was arrested at KLIA2 as she was preparing to board a flight to Vietnam. She had taken a taxi from a hotel in Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi to the airport that day.

On Thursday, Indonesian Siti Aisyah was arrested at a hotel in Ampang at 2am.

Police said she was identified based on CCTV footage at the airport and was alone at the time of arrest.

Her boyfriend was also picked up by police to assist with investigations.