1st LD: DPRK man killed by chemical weapon substance - Malaysian police

Malaysian police said Friday that a Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) man died in the country was killed by chemical weapon substance found on his body.

The man was killed by VX nerve agent, a lethal chemical weapon which was prohibited in Malaysia, national police chief Khalid Abu Bakar told reporters at the airport.

He said the police were investigating how the chemicals were smuggled into Malaysia.

In a statement released earlier in the day, Khalid said a preliminary analysis by the country's Chemistry Department had identified VX nerve agent on the samples of eye mucosa and face of the man.

He said that VX is listed as a chemical weapon under Schedule 1 of Malaysia's Chemical Weapons Convention Act 2008 as well as Chemical Weapons Convention, an international arms control treaty which outlaws the production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons and their precursors.

The DPRK man died on the way from a Malaysian airport to hospital on Feb. 13.

Malaysian police identified him as Kim Chol from the DPRK.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said embassy documents showed the man was Kim Jong Nam, half-brother of the DPRK top leader Kim Jong Un, but the DPRK ambassador in Malaysia denied the dead man's identity.

Malaysian police have arrested two women who allegedly put liquid on the face of the DPRK man before he died. Endit