Kim Jong Un's half-brother reportedly assassinated in Malaysia
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North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un’s half-brother was assassinated Monday in Malaysia, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported early Tuesday, citing a government source.
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Kim Jong Nam was attacked by two unidentified women who stabbed him with “poisoned needles” at a Malaysian airport before fleeing, according to cable TV broadcaster TV Chosun.
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Malaysian police reportedly suspect Jong Nam was targeted by North Korea.
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The 45-year-old Jong Nam was the oldest son of former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il and held no official title.
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In the late 1990s he was thought to be the heir apparent to Kim Jong Il to lead North Korea. However, his chances to succeed his father took a blow when Jong Nam tried entering Tokyo Disneyland using a fake passport in May 2001.
Sometimes a critic of his brother’s rule, Jong Nam had previously suspected he was a target for assassination by North Korean agents.
He had two wives, a mistress and three children, according to a 2010 South Korean newspaper profile in The Chosun Ilbo.
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The man who died was waiting for a flight to Macau on Monday when he fell ill, district police chief Abdul Aziz Ali told The Associated Press.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.