The Untold Secrets Behind Kim Jong-Nam’s 2017 Assassination That Shook North Korea’s Power Struggle
How The World Responded To The Assassination Of Kim Jong-Nam
ZUMA Press, Inc./Alamy Stock Photo Đoàn Thị Hương being escorted by armed guards during her trial.
Malaysian authorities quickly launched an investigation, and Huong and Aisyah were arrested within days of the attack. They claimed they believed they were participating in a prank for a reality TV show — and had no knowledge they were committing murder. Meanwhile, several North Korean suspects also fled Malaysia after the death of Kim Jong-nam.
The investigation created significant diplomatic tension between Malaysia and North Korea. North Korea denied any involvement in the killing and refused to acknowledge the body was Kim Jong-nam’s, referring to him only as “Kim Chol,” the name on his diplomatic passport. The regime also demanded the immediate release of the body and objected to an autopsy.
Eventually, this escalated to the point where both countries expelled each other’s ambassadors, and North Korea temporarily barred Malaysian citizens from leaving the country.
Imago/Alamy Stock PhotoSiti Aisyah leaving court in Shah Alam, Malaysia, March 11, 2019, after murder charges against her were withdrawn.
The trial of the two women began in October 2017, but neither ultimately faced any serious repercussions. In March 2019, charges against Siti Aisyah were dropped, and she was released. The following month, prosecutors reduced the murder charge against Đoàn Thị Hương to “causing injury,” to which she pleaded guilty. She was sentenced to three years and four months in prison but was released early in May 2019.
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