When Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, was suddenly assassinated at a Malaysian airport, the world was left in shock. Was it a random attack, or a calculated hit ordered by the regime? In this article, we uncover the full story behind the mysterious death that reignited fears about the dark secrets of North Korea.
In 2017 in Malaysia, the death of Kim Jong Nam, the elder brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, was announced. Kim Jong Nam died at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, the capital of Malaysia. The circumstances of his death confirmed it was a murder, or rather, an assassination, orchestrated by his younger brother, Kim Jong Un. The operation was strange, and its perpetrators were two young women in their twenties, one Indonesian and the other Vietnamese, who had no prior criminal record.
Details of the Mysterious Assassination and the Involvement of the Two Women
On February 13, 2017, Malaysian authorities announced the death of Kim Jong Nam at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. This event was significant because the man was no ordinary individual; he was the elder brother of the North Korean leader. Kim Jong Nam was the rightful heir to North Korea's rule after his father's death, being the eldest son, but certain circumstances led to Kim Jong Nam's removal from power and his younger brother's ascension to the throne. Afterwards, disputes and problems arose between the brothers, and Kim Jong Nam had left the country many years prior. North Korea denied any involvement in the matter after the assassination.
On the morning of February 13, 2017, Kim Jong Nam entered Kuala Lumpur Airport alone, as captured by surveillance cameras. He was inside the airport because he had a flight back to China, where he resided, and his visit to Malaysia was to complete some specific business. However, Kim Jong Nam did not know that two young women were waiting for him at the airport: one Indonesian named Siti Aisyah, and the other Vietnamese named Doan Thi Huong. Surveillance cameras showed that the two women followed Kim Jong Nam as soon as he entered the airport, then surprised him from behind and covered his face. Kim Jong Nam reacted strongly and turned violently towards them, especially after feeling something on his face. The two women immediately fled. Kim Jong Nam began to feel pain in his face, and that something had entered his eyes, nose, and mouth. He was seen in surveillance footage going to security officers and pointing to his face, asking for help from the security guards. Afterwards, he walked with the guards who took him to the airport clinic. The substance or poison began to affect him immediately, and he was seen in camera footage beginning to limp. Kim Jong Nam arrived at the clinic with the security guards, and the medical team present there tried to attend to him and understand his problem, but they were not at all prepared to handle such a critical emergency, so he died in less than an hour.
Investigation into the Crime and the Identification of the Poison Used
Forensic analysis confirmed that Kim Jong Nam was killed by poison, specifically a chemical substance called VX, one of the most deadly nerve agents, manufactured as a chemical weapon prohibited internationally, and containing organophosphorus. After the crime was confirmed, the Malaysian police immediately moved to pursue the killer. Surveillance cameras at the airport captured the two women who clearly committed the crime. According to the footage, the two women immediately went to the restrooms to wash their hands, indicating that they knew the substance was dangerous. The poison does not affect a person if it is on their hands and is washed off within fifteen minutes or less, because the skin layer on the hands and body in general is thick enough for the poison not to penetrate immediately and reach the bloodstream, unlike if the poison enters through the eyes, nose, or mouth, in which case it enters the bloodstream immediately and begins to poison, as happened to Kim Jong Nam. The Malaysian police moved quickly and began investigations and the pursuit of the criminals.
Arrest of Suspects and Diplomatic Tensions
In less than a week, the Inspector-General of Malaysian Police, Khalid Abu Bakar, held a press conference and announced their findings. First, he announced the arrest of the two women captured by surveillance cameras: Doan Thi Huong (28 years old) from Vietnam, and Siti Aisyah (25 years old) from Indonesia, stating that investigations with them were still ongoing. They also announced during the conference that there were eight other North Korean suspects, some of whom were embassy staff, as Malaysia was one of the few countries with a North Korean embassy. Four of these individuals were at the airport at the time of the assassination, and they likely managed the operation, flying out of Malaysia immediately afterwards. The other four were not at the airport and remained in Malaysia, but investigations concluded that they were involved in the operation.
One of the questions asked at the Inspector-General's press conference was: Did the two women know that the substance on their hands was poisonous? The Inspector-General's answer was that evidence indicated yes, the two women knew that what was on their hands was poison. The proof was that in the camera footage, they kept their hands away from their faces and bodies until they reached the restrooms and washed the substance off their hands. If this indicates anything, it indicates that they knew the substance was dangerous. After the Malaysian police arrested the two women, news and pictures of them reached their families, who were, of course, shocked.
Background of the Conflict and Motives for the Assassination
After the assassination, the world's attention turned to North Korea, which denied any connection to the assassination, even though everyone knew they were 100% behind it, led by their supreme leader, Kim Jong Un. The ruling dynasty began with Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Un's grandfather, who was succeeded by his son Kim Jong Il. During the eras of the grandfather and father, they instilled in the minds of the people that their family was not merely the ruling family, but a sacred family. Kim Jong Il, the father, married a famous actress and had his first son, Kim Jong Nam, who was assassinated, and who was supposed to be the heir to the throne as the eldest son. However, years later, Kim Jong Il married a second time, this time to a famous dancer, and had his second son, Kim Jong Un, who was ten years younger than his half-brother Kim Jong Nam. Kim Jong Un's mother naturally wanted her son to inherit the rule after his father, and she did everything she could to achieve this goal, having a significant influence on North Korea's internal system.
What also helped her was that the elder brother, Kim Jong Nam, had inclinations and desires that did not align with North Korea's direction and system. The worst thing he did, which was very embarrassing for the regime, was that in 2001 he traveled to Japan with his family (his wife and mother) with the goal of going to Disney World in Tokyo. There, Japanese police apprehended them after discovering he had a passport under a false name belonging to another country, as North Koreans are strictly prohibited from entering Japan. So it was a major scandal, especially since he went to Disney World, the American company representing America, North Korea's primary enemy. There are even rumors that Kim Jong Un's mother was the one who informed the Japanese police about Kim Jong Nam's entry into Japan because she wanted to create this scandal for him, which would help her secure the rule for her son. And indeed, this scandal had its consequences; the father was no longer pleased with his son, and it was clear that his son had an openness and flexibility in dealing, especially with the West.
Two years after the Japan scandal, the father decided to allow his son to leave the country, and the son was agreeable to this, perhaps even requesting it himself. In 2003, Kim Jong Nam moved to China, as it was the most open country to North Korea, and settled there. Eight years later, Kim the father died in 2011, and Kim Jong Un took over the rule at the age of 25. In the early years of his rule, many expected that he would not be able to manage the state, but contrary to all expectations, the son even surpassed his father and was ready to govern the country with even greater strictness than his father.
At the same time Kim Jong Un was tightening his grip on North Korea, his elder brother was traveling around Southeast Asian countries. He sometimes appeared in interviews and videos where journalists would find him on the street, making statements against his brother's regime. Among his comments were that North Korea's rule should not be hereditary, that the country needed to open up to the world to develop, and that his brother's ascent to power was illegitimate. He constantly made such comments. Due to these statements and stances, his brother likely considered him an enemy who needed to be eliminated. His mere existence was considered a threat, as other countries might even use him as a pawn. The bottom line was that Kim Jong Un viewed his brother as a threat, and eliminating him would be better in all respects. The problem was that he couldn't eliminate him while he was living in China, as China was their most important ally and biggest supporter. If they assassinated him on Chinese soil, it could lead to a major problem. So, they had to look for an opportunity to assassinate him outside China.
Assassination Attempts and Kim Jong Nam's Refusal
Most likely, there were assassination attempts before the one that occurred in Malaysia, but they failed. Kim Jong Nam always tried to be cautious because he knew his brother was targeting him. A report from South Korean intelligence, which is also an enemy of North Korea, stated that Kim Jong Nam wrote a letter to his brother asking him to stop the assassination attempts, clarifying that he was not a threat to him or his position, and that he had no desire for power, only wanting to live away from problems with his family. However, this letter, of course, had no effect on Kim Jong Un. His brother remained a problem that had to be eliminated as soon as possible, even if his brother stopped his statements and comments. North Korean intelligence continued to track all of Kim Jong Nam's movements until they were able to carry out the successful assassination at Kuala Lumpur Airport in Malaysia.
Trial of North Koreans and Diplomatic Pressure
North Korea's regime continued to deny any connection to this operation. Malaysian police identified eight North Korean suspects. The four who were at the airport immediately flew out of Malaysia after the operation. As for the others, three of them were arrested: a chemist named Ri Jong Chol, an official at the North Korean embassy in Malaysia, and a North Korean airline employee. The chemist was accused of manufacturing and overseeing the poison. As a result of these three arrests, the North Korean ambassador to Malaysia held a press conference in front of the embassy, condemning these arrests and demanding the return of the detainees. Malaysian authorities immediately responded by expelling the North Korean ambassador and returning him to his country. Immediately thereafter, North Korea retaliated by issuing a decision prohibiting Malaysians in North Korea from leaving, essentially making them hostages. The diplomatic situation escalated in the following days between Malaysia and North Korea, but then negotiations took place, and eventually, an agreement was reached: the Malaysian government would release the arrested North Koreans, and North Korea would lift the travel ban on Malaysians who wished to leave. Furthermore, North Korea demanded that Malaysia send Kim Jong Nam's body to them, and Malaysia also agreed. These negotiations represented complete submission from Malaysia, as they were concerned for their citizens in North Korea. After the release of the North Korean suspects, they were deported back to their country.
The Women's Defense and Course of the Trial
After Malaysian authorities allowed the three North Korean suspects to return, there was no one left but the two women, so all accusations and attention turned to them. Two law firms in Malaysia handled the women's cases, one for Siti Aisyah and the other for Doan. The lawyers began their own investigations into the case to find out how the two women ended up carrying out an assassination, because the matter was illogical, as the two women had no connection to North Korea and no criminal past. When their court hearings began, one of the first witnesses was a chemical weapons expert from the Malaysian government named Raja. Raja spoke in court about the poison VX and said that it is the most dangerous nerve agent ever created by humans, the most deadly and lethal substance, and just a drop of it is enough to kill a person. He clarified that it must reach the bloodstream to take effect, meaning that mere skin contact is not enough. If a person touches this poison with their skin and cleans themselves within 15 minutes or less, the poison will most likely not affect them at all. However, if the poison enters through the eye, nose, or mouth, it will immediately enter the bloodstream and begin to poison, as happened to Kim Jong Nam. He also mentioned in court that they found traces of the poison on Siti Aisyah's and Doan's clothes. This explanation clarified how a deadly poison like VX killed Kim Jong Nam, but it did not kill Siti Aisyah or Doan.
The defense lawyers began their defense of the two women by stating that a dangerous substance like this could not possibly have been prepared by ordinary people, so the women were manipulated and did not know that this poison was deadly. So by what right were these two women now being prosecuted after the people who orchestrated the operation and made the poison were released? The prosecution remained insistent that the two women knew this was poison, but the lawyers countered them by saying, if they knew, would it be reasonable for them to take such a risk and expose themselves to danger, with the poison literally on their hands and clothes? The matter was illogical.
The Women's Stories and Their Entry into the "Prank" World
Siti Aisyah told her lawyers the whole story when they visited her in prison. Siti said that the police raided her apartment and arrested her, and she was terrified at that moment and didn't understand what was happening. After they took her to the station and interrogated her, they asked her, "Where were you on February 13th?" (the day of the assassination). Siti told them she was at the airport. They asked her, "Who were you with?" She said, "I was with my boss, Mr. Chang." They asked her, "Where is Chang now?" She said, "I don't know, but I can call him." But when she tried to call him, his phone was off. The police asked her, "Are you a spy or what exactly? What did you do to kill the man at the airport?" Siti said her shock and confusion grew, and she told them, "I didn't kill anyone, and I didn't do anything." They told her, "You participated in the murder of the North Korean leader's brother." She told them, "Don't joke with me, please. I was filming a video. I was working with a company that films prank videos." Siti believed she was part of a team filming a prank show. Her lawyers told her, "This is serious. Someone died. Those people you were with weren't filming pranks; they orchestrated a murder and assassination, and you got involved."
The two women, Siti and Doan, were each recruited by a person belonging to two different companies. This recruitment happened months before the assassination, and during these months, they were trained in these pranks. James, the man who recruited Siti, would bring her baby oil, put it on her hands, and tell her the prank was to go behind people she didn't know and put her hands over their eyes, as if it were a surprise. Siti asked him, "Is this funny?" James told her, "In Japan, these things are funny. Don't worry, every country has different customs. Just do what I tell you and follow my instructions to the letter." James paid Siti $100 for each day of filming a prank, which was good money for her.
Training for Pranks and the Assassination Operation
The two women began this work, which they considered merely pranks, while in reality, it was training for an assassination operation. They continued this for months, pretending to film prank videos. One of the things that helped Siti's lawyers was that she used to film and post her daily life on social media. She used to film herself with this James, and there are videos clearly showing her. There was one small problem between them, which was that James did not speak English well. From here, a new person joined them, named Mr. Chang, who was also one of the four who fled the airport. His job was like a translator; he spoke Indonesian, Japanese, and English, and most likely Korean as well. So it is probable that he was an intelligence agent. James and Mr. Chang had promised Siti that she would travel to different countries, do pranks with them, become a famous actress, and earn more money. Siti had already started imagining her new life and living in dreams, and she was willing to do anything they asked of her.
On the other hand, the same thing was happening with Doan, the Vietnamese girl, who was hired by a man named Mr. Wai, one of the four. He began training her for pranks. It seems that Mr. Wai took the role more seriously, making her do pranks other than eye-covering pranks, such as the ones still available on YouTube today. It seems Mr. Wai genuinely wanted her to embody the role and to be comfortable when acting. After a period of these pranks, he introduced her to a new person, and Mr. Wai told her that this was his boss. When Doan asked him his name, Mr. Wai told her, "Call me Mori." Afterwards, Mr. Wai began training her on the eye-covering prank. And just like James was doing with Siti, Mr. Wai brought baby oil to Doan and put it on her hand. He even took her to the airport in Vietnam to do pranks at the airport, as if he wanted to get her used to the airport environment. There are even videos from the airport cameras in Vietnam that show Doan performing these alleged pranks.
All of this is documented in messages between them. In another video they filmed the next day, also from airport cameras in Vietnam, Doan's performance was better; she held the target for several seconds, which was what Mr. Wai wanted. Even when he asked her later, "How was your performance today?" he replied, "Excellent, this is the required performance." This is how the criminals were instructing her to ensure she would execute the operation correctly when she had the poison in her hands, leaving no room for their target to escape. Of course, all this time, North Korean intelligence was certainly keeping an eye on Kim Jong Nam and monitoring his every move, waiting for an opportunity to carry out the operation. When they learned that he had traveled to Malaysia, they decided to carry out the operation upon his return.
Assassination Day and Execution of the Operation
A few days before the flight, this gang began training the two women at Kuala Lumpur Airport. Siti Aisyah spent three days doing pranks at Kuala Lumpur Airport before the operation, meaning they were training at the crime scene. And Siti, as we said, used to post her daily life on social media, so she had posted several videos of herself at the airport. This is additional evidence that lawyers could use, because no sane criminal would film their crime scene and their training before the crime. The matter is illogical. Doan also used to post on her accounts her travels and the things she was doing.
On the day of the operation, February 13, 2017, both teams were ready. In one shot, two of the North Koreans who were the main planners of the operation can be seen: the one wearing the purple shirt is Hanomori, and the other with him entered Malaysia under the name O Jong Gil, and most likely he was also a North Korean intelligence agent. They were among the four who fled the airport. The other two were Mr. Wai and Mr. Chang, each of whom was responsible for one of the women. Mr. Wai was accompanying Doan, and Mr. Chang was accompanying Siti.
In one shot, we see Siti sitting at a cafe with Mr. Chang inside the airport, chatting and talking about work. He told her that today would be an important video and they wouldn't be alone; there would be other people working with them. In the next shot, we see Siti laughing enthusiastically and very happy. Of course, one might say here, either this is a woman accustomed to killing to the point where her nerves are completely calm and she can laugh, chat, and enjoy herself before committing a murder, or she knows nothing about what is going to happen and thinks this will be an ordinary day like any other day she goes to film a prank. And here we also see another shot, this time of Mr. Wai with Doan. Doan says that Mr. Wai told her that today's filming was very, very important and had to be done perfectly. He told her that this time there would be a new actress (referring to Siti Aisyah) and a new actor (referring to Kim Jong Nam). He was tricking her into thinking that this was a new actor who had come to work with them. He told her that the reason for adding these new actors was to make the video better and give a stronger reaction to the viewers.
Afterwards, at approximately 9 AM, Kim Jong Nam entered the airport to board his flight back to China, but the gang was waiting for him. When he entered the airport, the first person to see him was Hanomori, the operation leader, because he was standing directly opposite the door. As soon as he saw Kim Jong Nam enter, he immediately informed his men. This picture, captured by cameras, shows Kim Jong Nam in the highlighted square. You'll notice a pillar in front of him, and behind this pillar, Siti Aisyah was hiding with Mr. Chang. And this person standing here was Hanomori, who had just informed them that Kim Jong Nam had arrived and that they needed to be ready to start the prank. Mr. Chang explained to Siti that she had to "prank" the man wearing the grey coat, and Kim Jong Nam was very clear, meaning she could see him clearly from her position behind the pillar. Mr. Chang handed her the poisonous substance, which was supposed to be baby oil as usual, and put it on her hands. When Kim Jong Nam passed the pillar, Siti began to follow him to perform the usual prank on him.
At the same time, Mr. Wai and Doan were standing a short distance away from them. Mr. Wai had already put the poison on Doan's hands and told her to watch what her new fellow actress would do and imitate her. So Doan saw Siti following Kim Jong Nam (whom she also thought was a new actor with them) and saw her put her hands over his eyes from behind. Kim Jong Nam turned to Siti, bewildered by what was happening and why this strange girl had put her hands over his eyes. Suddenly, Doan also came from behind and performed the same action on him. Their goal in using two women in the operation was to ensure that the poison reached his bloodstream and that the assassination would be 100% successful. When the two women put their hands over Kim Jong Nam's eyes, he most likely immediately felt that this was an assassination attempt, so he turned violently towards the two women, scared. When the two women saw him act this way, they also got scared and fled immediately.
Escape of the Plotters and the Women's Release
After that, as we said, they went to the restrooms, each in a different direction, and washed their hands. Of course, until that moment, they did not know that it was a deadly, fatal poison; they just thought it was baby oil as usual, so they went to the restroom and washed their hands without any idea. When they came out, each one was looking for the person who had been with them: Siti was looking for Mr. Chang, and Doan was looking for Mr. Wai, but there was no trace of them. Mr. Chang and Mr. Wai, along with Hanomori or O Jong Gil, the four men who were managing the operation, were all filmed entering the restrooms, and then they came out of these restrooms in completely different clothes. After that, they went and met with the embassy official and the airline employee who were later arrested and released. These two individuals, the embassy official and the airline employee, arranged for them quick procedures to leave the airport. The four were smiling happily as they prepared their belongings to board the plane, pleased that they had successfully completed the mission, and they took the nearest available flight. It was a flight to Indonesia, and from Indonesia to Dubai, and from Dubai to China, and from China they returned to their country, North Korea.
So, the four responsible for planning and executing the operation escaped, and the three who were arrested (the chemist, the embassy official, and the airline employee) were released after pressure from North Korea. As for James, who claimed to be Japanese and was initially with Siti, no trace of him was found, nor is his whereabouts known, and he was not at the airport at the time of the operation. So, the Malaysian authorities were left with only these two women. The matter was clear to the lawyers: the two women had absolutely no motive to commit such a crime, so it was illogical for all the punishment to fall on them after they had been manipulated and deceived. And if they were convicted as murderers, they would be executed in Malaysia. This was illogical to the lawyers, but the prosecution saw the matter completely differently. They were saying that these two women were the ones who carried out the murder, and therefore they deserved punishment. Moreover, they insisted that the two women knew that what was on their hands was poison. Their main evidence was the camera footage after the assassination. In these shots, we see the two women with their hands held high and away from their bodies, meaning they were walking as if they didn't want to touch their bodies or their belongings with this substance on their hands. This footage was the evidence the prosecution used in court to say, "No, the two women knew that this was a dangerous substance, and that's why they kept their hands away from their bodies and faces." But the women's response was that they felt their hands were oily and had a smell, so naturally they didn't want this oil to touch them or their clothes, so they immediately went to the restroom and washed their hands. And indeed, this is logical.
Trial Developments and the Women's Happy Ending
However, the prosecution didn't care about this; it was clear they wanted to punish someone for the crime. When the North Koreans slipped through their grasp, they focused all their attention on the two women. For example, let's listen to the statements of the Deputy Public Prosecutor after one of the court hearings to understand the prosecution's mindset: "So now it is for them to explain their conduct and the two lawyers mention that is political conspiracy that North Korea—I don't care, I don't care, there is no evidence of political plot. The North Korean who applied the VX to the victim is not important for us." I am an ordinary person, I haven't studied law, and I don't know exactly how the judiciary works, but what I see is that a man in such a position, whose goal is supposed to be to establish justice, when he speaks this way and says, "I don't care, these are the ones in front of me, and I will hold them accountable because they are the ones who applied the poison to the victim with their hands," without giving any consideration or attention to the circumstances surrounding the case, then you know there's a problem. The case is clearly a political assassination, and it's clear that these two women had no interest in the matter, and it's clear that the real orchestrators of the operation escaped. So how do you want to pour all your anger and your alleged justice on these two women who are just victims? Did they do something wrong? Of course, the whole premise of the pranks and the story should have been prohibited and punished, especially in a place like an airport, but here we are talking about a murder, a major political assassination, so it is inconceivable that all the blame should be placed on these two women. And again, keep in mind that if they were convicted of the crime, their fate would be execution, which is illogical. But the Malaysian authorities seemed to want a scapegoat; it's inconceivable that a major assassination like this would happen on their soil and they couldn't hold anyone accountable. They needed at least something to save face before the world, and they had no one but these two women.
But the defense lawyers believed in the innocence of the two women, so they did everything they could to defend them. They gathered all the evidence, digital footprints, and videos that were filmed, as well as their history before they were recruited by the Koreans. They literally fought in court for two full years, and the two women spent those two years in detention and prison. Initially, things did not look promising. The judge's comments during the court hearings indicated that he was not convinced of their innocence and not convinced of the whole prank story. He said that the essence of pranks should be laughter and fun, and this action that happened at the airport had no laughter or fun. What's funny about a girl coming from behind someone, covering their eyes, and running away? The judge initially made it clear that his ruling would be against them. But a surprise happened on March 10, 2019. In that session, the Public Prosecutor announced in court that they would withdraw the charges against Siti Aisyah and that they would not bring any new charges against her. The judge himself was surprised and did not expect this, and in such a case, he had no choice but to release the accused; the prosecution was no longer accusing her of anything. So the judge announced that the charges against Siti Aisyah had been withdrawn and that she was free to leave the court. Siti left the court happy and joyful, and journalists photographed her leaving with her lawyers and getting into their car. Finally, she was free after two years of detention and imprisonment.
Delayed Justice and Return Home
Siti was released and the charges against her were withdrawn, so what about Doan? Doan's case continued, as the prosecution did not withdraw the charges against her. You might say: this is illogical, the two women did the same thing, so why were the charges withdrawn for Siti and not for Doan? The answer is that the withdrawal of charges happened due to the intervention of the Indonesian government and the Indonesian president himself. They kept pressuring the Malaysian government until they convinced them to drop the charges against Siti Aisyah. Of course, there is no justice in this matter; the two women literally faced the same charge, and the Public Prosecutor did not give any reason for withdrawing the charges against Siti. So how can you withdraw charges for one and not the other? Of course, Doan's lawyers mentioned the same thing in the media and in court: Doan deserved the same treatment. But the problem was that her country, Vietnam, has a strong relationship with North Korea, being a communist state, so they likely did not want to intervene in the matter to avoid stirring up any political problems between them and North Korea.
Doan's next court session was scheduled for April 1, 2019. On that day, journalists gathered in front of the court, awaiting the outcome. They noticed that officials from the Vietnamese embassy, including the Vietnamese ambassador himself, were present in the courtroom. In Malaysia, journalists and cameras are prohibited from entering and filming inside the courtroom, so the journalists were eagerly waiting outside to learn the outcome of this session. The surprise came when Doan emerged from the courtroom with a big smile on her face; she was happy and delighted, but she was still under arrest and had not been released like Siti. Afterward, her lawyer came out and spoke to the journalists, informing them of what had happened. He told them that Doan had finally received a happy ending. Not all charges against her were dropped, but the murder charge was dropped, and Doan pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of voluntarily causing harm with dangerous weapons and means. She was sentenced to three years in prison. Although it was a long sentence and she did not receive an acquittal, it was much better than a death sentence. And even this three-year sentence was not fully served; she was released approximately one month after the verdict and returned to her home country, Vietnam, surrounded by cameras. Dozens of journalists greeted her at her country's airport, and all eyes were on her. One could say she got the fame she was looking for, but certainly not in the way she wanted or even imagined. Doan returned to her country and her family, and Siti also returned to Indonesia and to her parents' home. Thus, the story of these two women ended with a happy ending, at least. Of course, their lives will never be the same as before, because just the thought of being used as a tool for murder without knowing it can literally make you live nightmares for the rest of your life and can destroy you. And while it is true that the criminals escaped justice and none of them were held accountable, at least no innocent people were punished for something they were not responsible for. North Korea and its leader were not significantly affected by this assassination. While the world condemned it, North Korea is already isolated from the world, so they could not do anything noteworthy. The North Korean embassy in Malaysia was also closed, but not after this incident; it was closed in 2020 due to another incident.
Sources:
This article is based on verified reports and investigative journalism from several reputable international news outlets. For further reading and deeper insights into the assassination of Kim Jong Nam and its implications, see the following:
- BBC News covered the initial breaking news of Kim Jong Nam's death and North Korea’s suspected involvement.
- The Guardian provided a detailed overview of the assassination and the suspects involved.
- CNN compiled a comprehensive timeline of events, from the airport attack to the court proceedings.
- Reuters presented a chronological investigative report on the political context and murder trial.
- Al Jazeera published an informative profile on who Kim Jong Nam was, his background, and his relationship with Kim Jong Un.