Kuala Lumpur: Security camera footage obtained by Japanese television appears to show a careful and deliberate attack last week on the exiled half brother of North Korea's ruler.
The footage, obtained by Fuji TV and often grainy and blurred, seems to show two women approaching Kim Jong Nam from different directions as he stands at a ticketing kiosk at the budget terminal of the Kuala Lumpur airport. One comes up behind him and appears to hold something over his mouth for a few seconds.
Then the women turn and calmly walk away in different directions. More footage shows Kim, a long-estranged member of the family that has ruled North Korea for three generations, walking up to airport workers and security officials, gesturing at his eyes and seemingly asking for help. He then walks alongside them as they lead him to the airport clinic.Also Read: 'Malaysia Probe Shows North Korea Regime Behind Kim Jong-Nam Murder'
Fuji TV has not revealed how it acquired the video footage, which was taken by a series of security cameras as Kim arrived for a flight to Macau, where he had a home.
Kim, a portly man in his mid-40s, died shortly after the attack, en route to a hospital after suffering a seizure, Malaysian officials say.
Malaysia's deputy national police chief, Noor Rashid Ibrahim, said Sunday that Kim had told airport customer service employees that "two unidentified women had swabbed or had wiped his face with a liquid and that he felt dizzy."Also Read: 'Suspect in Kim Jong-Nam's Murder Thought She Was Part of Prank Show'
Since Kim's death last week, authorities have been trying to piece together details of what appeared to be an assassination. Malaysian police have so far arrested four people carrying IDs from North Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.
Investigators are looking for four North Korean men who flew out of Malaysia the same day as the attack, Malaysian police said Sunday.
Noor Rashid said the men arrived in Malaysia on different days beginning Jan. 31 and flew out of the country last Monday.
"I am not going disclose where they are," he told a room packed with journalists, adding that Interpol was helping with the investigation.
Also Read: Malaysia Arrests Third Suspect in Connection With Murder of Kim Jong Nam
Noor Rashid showed photographs of the four men, who were traveling on regular — not diplomatic — passports and are ages 33, 34, 55 and 57.
He said there were three other people police wanted to question. He said one was North Korean, but that police had not yet identified the other two. It was not clear if they were suspects or simply wanted for questioning.
Noor Rashid said Sunday that he expected autopsy results to be released within days. "We have to send a sample to the chemistry department, we have to send a sample for toxicology tests," he said.
Also Read: Malaysian Police Arrest North Korean Man in Connection With Kim Jong Nam Murder
Investigators also want to speak to Kim Jong Nam's next of kin to formally identify the body. He is believed to have two sons and a daughter with two women living in Beijing and Macau.
"We haven't met the next of kin," Noor Rashid said. "We are trying very hard to get the next of kin to come and to assist us in the investigation."
Noor Rashid said charges against the four suspects in custody would be determined by prosecutors.Also Read: Malaysia Won't Release Kim Jong-Nam's Body Until Family Comes Forward
According to police, the Indonesian woman is a spa masseuse and the Malaysian man, a caterer, is believed to be her boyfriend. The Vietnamese woman works at an entertainment outlet and the North Korean man works in the information technology department of a Malaysian company.
The Indonesian woman has told investigators that she was duped into thinking she was part of a comedy show prank.
The case has raised tensions between Malaysia and North Korea. Pyongyang demanded custody of Kim's body and strongly objected to an autopsy. The Malaysians went ahead with the procedure anyway, saying they were simply following procedure.
Kang Chol, North Korea's ambassador to Malaysia, said that Malaysia may be "trying to conceal something" and that the autopsy was carried out "unilaterally and excluding our attendance."Also Read: Vietnamese Woman Arrested Over 'Murder' of Kim Jong Un's Half Brother
On Monday, the Malaysian foreign ministry summoned Kang to a meeting, "to seek an explanation on the accusations he made against the Government of Malaysia."
The statement called Kang's comments "baseless" and said it "takes very seriously any unfounded attempt to tarnish its reputation."
It said the government had kept the North Korean embassy informed of the situation, telling them that because "the death occurred in Malaysian soil under mysterious circumstances, it is the responsibility of the Malaysian Government to conduct an investigation to identify the cause of death. This investigation has been conducted in the manner prescribed by Malaysian law."Also Read: Kim Jong-Un Brother Murder Case: Malaysia Arrests Second Woman
South Korea has been quick to blame its enemies in North Korea for Kim's death.
The attack "showed the reckless and brutal nature of the North Korean government, which uses every possible means to prolong its power," Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn said Monday during a National Security Council meeting. Hwang has served as the government caretaker since President Park Geun-hye's impeachment over a corruption scandal in December.
A later statement from Hwang's office said South Korea will cooperate with the international community to make an unspecified "strong" response to North Korea over the killing.
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