On Monday, Feb. 13, 2017, Kim Jong Nam, the half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, was presumed murdered in the Kuala Lumpur airport in Malaysia.
Kim Jong Nam was born in 1971. The first son of former dictator Kim Jong II, Kim Jong Nam was expected to be the successor to his throne over his brother Kim Jong Un, who was born 14 years later. He was prepared to be his father’s successor until he was arrested for using fake identification in the Tokyo airport when he was trying to go to Disneyland. Kim Jong Nam was exiled from North Korea in 2001. He has been staying very quiet since then, living in China, Singapore, and Malaysia.
It was suspected that Kim Jong Nam was murdered in an airport in Malaysia. Initial reports said he was poisoned. Malaysian police official, Fadzil Ahmet, told the star that Kim said, “Someone had grabbed him from behind and splashed a liquid on his face.” Kim Jong Nam said this to a receptionist at the airport prior to his death. Bernama, the Malaysian national news agency, also reported, “A women covered Kim Jong Nam’s face with a cloth covered with liquid.”
It is suspected that North Korea could be involved in the death of the North Korean leader. Kim Jong Nam has been targeted for assassination in the past. Again, those threats were also suspected to be made by the North Korean government.