Police investigating real identity of Kim Chol

Police are investigating the real identity of the North Korean national, Kim Chol who died in this country on Monday and was reported to be a half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Noor Rashid Ibrahim said police were also investigating whether the travel document used by Kim Chol, 47, was genuine or forged.

"So far, what we can confirm is that the Korean national was known as Kim Chol based on the victim's travel document, but we are still investigating whether the passport was genuine or false.

"I advise the media against making any speculation and we will inform on any development regarding the matter," he said when contacted by Bernama today.

In a statement here yesterday, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the North Korean man who tried to seek initial medical assistance at the customer service counter at the Kuala Lumpur 2 International Airport (KLIA2) yesterday was identified as Kim Chol with his passport number 836410070 and was born in Pyongyang on June 10 1970.

The foreign media reported that the deceased was purportedly Kim Jong-Nam and claimed that he was murdered.

Meanwhile, the body of Kim Chol had been taken to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital's (HKL) Forensic Unit at 9.30am today from Putrajaya Hospital under tight police security.

At 10.50am, Kuala Lumpur Police Chief Datuk Amar Singh was seen entering the unit's compound before leaving 10 minutes later.

About 50 local and foreign journalists began to gather at the forensic unit's compound since 9am to seek further report on the case which attracted wide international media coverage.

Kim Chol was reported to be at the Kuala Lumpur 2 International Airport (KLIA2) at 8am to board a flight to Macau at 9am.

He was reported to have died while on the way to hospital from KLIA2 after complaining of ill health. -- BERNAMA