Kim Jong-nam Was Urged to Seek Asylum Before His Assassination

Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, was reportedly advised to seek political asylum in South Korea or the United States just three months before his assassination on February 13, 2017, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia. According to a report by Japan's Asahi Shimbun, Alex Phan, the 73-year-old owner of a Korean restaurant called 'Koryowon' in Kuala Lumpur, encouraged Kim Jong-nam to flee to the U.S. or South Korea. However, Kim Jong-nam reportedly responded, 'I'm fine. Let's stop talking about politics.' Phan later followed Kim Jong-nam outside the restaurant, expressing genuine concern and mentioning that he had friends at the U.S. and South Korean embassies who could help him. Despite this, Kim Jong-nam left without further comment. Phan reflected on the encounter in an interview, wishing he had been more insistent about urging Kim Jong-nam to seek asylum. He described Kim Jong-nam as a regular patron who enjoyed dishes like beef ribs, cold noodles, stir-fried squid, and soju, often accompanied by a woman believed to be his wife. Phan characterized Kim Jong-nam as kind and soft-spoken. Kim Jong-nam, the eldest son of former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, had been living abroad for most of his life. He was assassinated by a team sent from North Korea using the toxic nerve agent VX, five years after Kim Jong-un took power following Kim Jong-il's death in December 2011. The shocking assassination was captured on airport CCTV and widely reported around the world.
What do you think?
0 reactions