Reports say son of ex-N. Korea envoy to Vietnam is a Jong-nam murder suspect

JAKARTA / HANOI: A North Korean suspect in the killing of Kim Jong-nam is reportedly the son of a former top North Korean envoy to Vietnam, and he allegedly lured a Vietnamese female suspect to join the plot to kill the estranged half-brother of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un.
Ri Ji Hyon, 32, is the son of former North Korean ambassador to Hanoi, Ri Hong, and had lived in Vietnam for about 10 years, Yonhap news agency quoting sources said today.
Ji Hyon worked as a trainee diplomat at the North Korean embassy for more than one year and he also worked as an interpreter, according to the sources.
Yonhap added, Ji Hyon is fluent in Vietnamese and lured Doan Thi Huong into the plot to kill Jong-nam while the latter was waiting to board a flight to Macau at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (klia2) on Feb 13.
Doan Thi Huong, and Indonesian Siti Aisyah allegedly smeared the lethal VX nerve agent on Jong-nam's face.
They have been charged with murder.
Ji Hyon is among four North Korean suspects who left Malaysia on the day Jong-nam was murdered and they are believed to have returned to Pyongyang.
Khalid on Tuesday, confirmed a statement he made on Sunday that police were seeking a VIP to assist investigations into the murder.
He said the person is a North Korean but declined to name the VIP.
He said all the suspects in the case are foreigners — an Indonesian and a Vietnamese woman, and the rest are North Korean nationals.
When contacted, on the latest development, Khalid declined to comment.
Police have named seven North Korean men sought in connection with the case — four have fled the country and two are believed to be taking refuge in the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur while the seventh suspect, Ri Ji U @ James, 30, is believed to be at large in Malaysia.
The two North Koreans thought to be inside the embassy are its Second Secretary Hyon Kwang-Song, 44, and Air Koryo employee Kim Uk-il, 37.
A letter requesting Hyon's cooperation has been delivered to the embassy.
Another North Korean, chemist Ri Jong Chol was earlier arrested but was subsequently released and deported due to lack of evidence.
Meanwhile, an Interpol Red Notice has also been issued for Ji Hyon, Hong Song Hac, 32, O Joong Gil, 54, and Ri Jae Nam, 56, the four who fled immediately after the assassination.
A Red Notice is akin to an international arrest warrant, and Interpol would circulate the alert to member countries listing persons who are wanted for extradition.