Pyongyang seeks return of citizen's body

KUALA LUMPUR - A high-level delegation from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea arrived in Malaysia on Tuesday to seek the repatriation of the body of a citizen, who was killed during an incident at Kuala Lumpur's airport on Feb 13.

The delegation, led by the country's former ambassador to the United Nations, Ri Tong-il, will also seek the release of a citizen arrested as a suspect in the case.

The team will discuss with Malaysian officials "the development of friendly relations" between the two countries, Ri told reporters outside the DPRK embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

He did not elaborate.

A row emerged between the two countries after Malaysian police arrested Ri Jong-chol, the suspect from the DPRK, and sought to question a second secretary at the country's embassy. The DPRK has accused Malaysia of showing what it called an unfriendly attitude in handling the case, and "encroaching upon" its sovereignty.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Attorney General Mohamed Apandi Ali confirmed on Tuesday that the two women suspected of killing the DPRK man will be charged in court on Wednesday.

The women, a Vietnamese and an Indonesian, were arrested after they were caught on surveillance video assaulting the victim. Police said the man was killed by the nerve agent VX, a chemical weapon.

Both suspects have reportedly said they thought they were taking part in a prank for a reality TV show, a claim rejected by investigators.

Xinhua