Two North Korean suspects in the apparent murder of Kim Jong-nam arrived in Beijing on Friday morning en route to North Korea, after the Malaysian government allowed them to return to their home countries.
 
Hyon Kwang-song, the second secretary of the North Korean Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, and Air Koryo staff Kim Wook-il arrived at the Beijing Capital International Airport at around 2 a.m. and then went to the North Korean Embassy in China.
 
Given the flight schedules of Air Koryo, they are expected to depart for Pyongyang as early as Saturday.  
 
The body of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s half brother Kim Jong-nam is also known to have arrived in Beijing on Friday and is expected to be soon taken to Pyongyang by an Air Koryo plane.
 
On Thursday, the governments of Malaysia and North Korea announced a joint statement agreeing to swap the North Korean suspects hiding out in Malaysia and the body of Kim with nine Malaysians being held in the North.
 
Some speculated that the Malaysian government would cremate Kim’s body before handing it over to Pyongyang, but it was known that the body was cryo-treated and embalmed when it was delivered to the North.
 
Many observers speculated that the agreement between Kuala Lumpur and Pyongyang made it probable that Kim’s death would remain a permanently unresolved case.
 
Kim, who was known to be critical of the North Korean regime, died after being attacked by two women at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on February 13th.
 
The Malaysian health authorities concluded that deadly VX nerve agent, which is classified by the UN as a weapon of mass destruction, was used in the killing of Kim. 
 
Pyongyang has denied its role in the death of Kim, whom the regime has called North Korean diplomat Kim Chol.

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