North Korea dismisses Malaysia's allegations in Kim Jong-nam's death

North Korea says a Malaysian investigation into the death of one of its nationals is full of "holes and contradictions" amid speculation that its agents masterminded the assassination of leader Kim Jong-un's half brother.

Malaysia police have not directly pinpointed North Korea as being behind the death of Kim Jong-nam, but they are searching for several North Korean suspects over his killing at a Malaysian airport this month.

The Korean Jurists Committee said in a statement that the Malaysian investigation lacks fairness and has been influenced by the South Korean government, which blames Pyongyang for the death.

On Wednesday, Malaysian police nameda senior official in the North Korean embassy and another linked to its state airline, wanted for questioning over the killing last week.

Kim Jong-nam was killed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Feb. 13 while he was preparing to board a flight to Macau, where he lived with his family under the protection of Beijing. South Korean and U.S. officials believe the killing was an assassination carried out by agents of the North to eliminate the elder half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

The North has not acknowledgedthat the dead man is KimJong-nam. The statement on Thursday local timedescribed the man only as a North Korean citizen bearing a diplomatic passport.

Police chief Khalid Abu Bakar named the North Korean diplomat wanted for questioning as 44-year-old Hyon Kwang Song, and said he held the rank of second secretary at the embassy.

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The police chief identified the Air Koryo staffer as Kim Uk-il, 37, and said another North Korean suspect wanted for questioning was Ri Ji-U, but gave no further details.

He said all three were in Malaysia.

"They're not in custody, they've been called in for assistance. We hope the embassywill co-operate with us and allow us to interview them quickly orelse we will compel them to come to us," Khalid told reporters.

"We can't confirm that they are hiding in the embassy," hetold the Reuters news agency.

Police have stepped up security at the morgue where Kim Jong-nam's body is being held after an attempted break-in earlier this week, Khalid said.

Malaysia keeps body

Malaysia has denied North Korea's request for the body to be handed over to its embassy directly. Malaysia has so far identified a total of eight North Koreans suspected of being linked to killing.

One is in custody, along with two women one Vietnamese, one Indonesian believed to have carried out the fatal assault using a fast-acting poison.

Khalid said police "strongly believed" four other North Koreans were back in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang, having fled Malaysia on the day of the attack.

The North Korean embassy in Malaysia, meanwhile, said that the three suspects detained currentlyhave been "arrested unreasonably" and should be immediately released.

Attack rehearsed at malls

Khalid said both women wiped a liquid, containing an as yet unidentified toxic substance, on Kim Jong-nam's face.

"Yes, the two female suspects knew that the substance they had were toxic. We don't know what kind of chemical was used," he said, dismissing speculation that the women had thought they were part of a prank.

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"They used their bare hands," he said, adding they were instructed to wash their hands afterwards.

The women had rehearsed the attack at two shopping malls in central Kuala Lumpur before carrying it out on Kim Jong-nam, he said.

'Diplomatically rude'

Diplomatic tensions have escalated between North Korea and Malaysia since the killing, with the countries tussling over custody of the victim's body and trading barbs over Malaysia's handling of the investigation.

Malaysia is one of the few countries in the world that maintains ties with the nuclear-armed nation. Earlier this week Malaysia recalled its ambassador from Pyongyang, and Prime Minister Najib Razak rebuked the North Korea ambassador in Kuala Lumpur for making "diplomatically rude" comments.

The police said no family member of Kim Jong-nam has come forward to claim the body or provide DNA samples yet, dismissing rumours that a son had arrived in Kuala Lumpur earlier this week.

Malaysia has said it will only release the body to the next-of-kin once the cause of death and identity have been confirmed.

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