Russian expert doubts credibility of media reports on circumstances of murder of Kim Jong-un's brother
MOSCOW. Feb 14 (Interfax) - Information spread by a number of media about the circumstances of the murder of the North Korea leader Kim Jong-un's older brother Kim Jong-nam raises questions of credibility and the point of it are most likely the attempts to fuel the media hype to discredit the North Korean leadership, head of the Korean Studies Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences' Far East Institute Alexander Zhebin has said.
"The information spread looks like a poorly staged play. In a Malaysian airport, where many cameras are installed, criminals kill a man as if for effect with poisoned needles, which no one saw, and then flee safely. It is not unlikely that someone had suggested this material to reporters who made this claim. As far as I know, the TV channel which reported this has no correspondents in Malaysia," Zhebin told Interfax on Tuesday.
He said that the sources of information lack credibility.
The expert said that a theory on the involvement of the North Korean security services in the incident also raises serious doubts.
"If the North Korean security services had needed to do that, they could have chosen a plenty of other places and opportunities. Kim Jong-nam doesn't use state protection. He's a man who frequently visits various places of entertainment. Kim Jong-un himself doesn't need this action, because his older brother has no political base in North Korea and he hadn't posed any threat to him," Zhebin said.
Zhebin said that reporters, who voiced this theory, could be used in a campaign to discredit the North Korean leadership.
"It is noteworthy that this story has emerged at the time of a global uproar involving the launch of a North Korean missile. And this incident is aimed at adding a negative reaction towards Pyongyang's policy. The tragic event in the airport could be used to condemn the regime and its 'bad leader.' This is why this action was more likely plotted by some other forces rather than North Korea," he said.
Information emerged right before the festivities in North Korea on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the birth of North Korean long-term leader Kim Jong-il, father of Kim Jong-nam and current leader Kim Jong-un. "Kim Jong-il's birthday will be celebrated in North Korea and its embassies all over the world the day after tomorrow. I suppose, it was an attempt by certain forces to ruin the holiday," Zhebin said.
Kim Jong-un's older brother half-brother Kim Jong-nam was murdered in Malaysia, South Korean Chosun TV channel said on Tuesday. According to preliminary information, it happened in an airport in Malaysia, two women attacked him with poisoned needles. They successfully fled the crime scene. Further details of the incident are yet unknown, the TV channel said.
Kim Jong-nam fell from the grace of then-leader of the country Kim Jong-il in the past and was removed from succession to the highest political post. Following that, he left the country and resided abroad.