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A10 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 23 February 2017

Police: Suspects in North Korean scion’s death Analysis: As China ups heat over

coated hands with poison North Korea, US faces questions

EILEEN NG He said the women had what local authorities have M. PENNINGTON 2009.
Associated Press practiced the attack at found and cast doubt on Associated Press Any breakthrough would
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia two Kuala Lumpur malls. whatever more concrete WASHINGTON (AP) — Chi- almost surely require U.S.-
(AP) — The two women sus- “We strongly believe it is links to North Korea they na’s surprising suspension Chinese cooperation. Kim
pected of fatally poisoning a planned thing and that may announce as the in- of North Korean coal im- has shown little interest in
a scion of North Korea’s rul- they have been trained,” vestigation progresses. ports puts pressure not relinquishing his nation’s
ing family were trained to he told reporters. Police have already ar- only on Pyongyang, but nuclear deterrent as he
coat their hands with toxic Khalid couldn’t confirm rested four people in con- also on President Donald closes in on a weapon
chemicals and then wipe whether North Korea’s gov- nection with the attack: a Trump. The question for capable of targeting
them on his face, police in ernment was behind Kim’s Malaysian, a North Korean him: Should the U.S. re- mainland America, and
Malaysia said Wednesday, death but added, “What is and the two women. The spond with new North Ko- Sino-American disputes
announcing they were clear is that those involved Malaysian was to be freed rea negotiations? over the best approach
seeking a North Korean are North Koreans.” Wednesday on bail, Khalid Years of failed efforts to dealing with the con-
diplomat in connection He also said a heav- said. to stem North Korea’s founding North Korean
with the attack. nuclear and missile pro- leader have hamstrung
But the North Korean Em- grams have followed a international diplomatic
bassy ridiculed the po- usual pattern. The Unit- efforts. “We continue to
lice account of Kim Jong ed States seeks tougher urge China to exert its
Nam’s death at a Malay- action from China, the unique leverage as North
sian airport, demanding North’s traditional ally. Bei- Korea’s largest trad-
the immediate release of jing urges U.S. diplomatic ing partner to convince
the two “innocent wom- engagement. But Chi- Pyongyang to return to
en.” If the toxins had been na’s move this weekend serious talks on denucle-
on their hands “then how appears to change the arization,” State Depart-
is it possible that these fe- dynamic, addressing the ment spokeswoman Anna
male suspects could still be long-standing American Richey-Allen said.
alive?” demanded a state- demand, one Trump has Trump has vowed to “deal
ment from North Korea’s vociferously repeated. If with” North Korea, with-
embassy in Kuala Lumpur. enforced, the loss of coal out saying how. His ad-
Police say the women — revenue could tighten the ministration is conducting
one of them Indonesian, screws on leader Kim Jong a broad-ranging policy
the other Vietnamese — Un after his government’s review, including how to
washed their hands soon acceleration of nuclear make sanctions bite. Ne-
after poisoning Kim, the The Facebook page of Doan Thi Huong, the Vietnamese suspect and missile tests this last gotiations haven’t been
long-estranged half broth- in the death of the North Korean leader’s estranged half broth- year. China rarely makes ruled out, said a U.S. of-
er of the North Korean ruler. er Kim Jong Nam, is shown on a computer screen in Bangkok, concessions for free, and ficial, who wasn’t autho-
Earlier Wednesday, Inspec- Thailand, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017. A photo of Huong wearing will want Trump to re- rized to discuss internal
an “LOL” shirt like the attacker’s was posted under the name
tor-General of Police Kha- Ruby Ruby. spond in kind. “If China is deliberations and de-
lid Abu Bakar told reporters (AP Photo) squeezing North Korea, manded anonymity.
that authorities are search- it is for one purpose and China’s decision on coal
ing for two new North Ko- ily armed special police At least one of the women one purpose only: to of- could change the U.S.
rean suspects, the second force was deployed to the has said she was tricked fer a cooperative gesture calculus. A second ad-
secretary of North Korea’s morgue holding Kim Jong into attacking Kim Jong to the incoming Trump ministration official de-
embassy in Kuala Lumpur Nam’s body after police Nam, believing she was administration in return scribed it as a potentially
and an employee of North detected an attempt to taking part in a comedy for an initiative on nego- hopeful sign, though the
Korea’s state-owned air- break into the facility. He prank TV show. While the tiations,” said Stephan U.S. was still gauging the
line, Air Koryo. declined to give details, but North Korean statement Haggard, a North Korea significance.
“We hope that the Korean local media reported that also raised this possibility, expert at the University of North Korea’s coal exports
Embassy will cooperate a South Korean camera- saying it could have been California, San Diego. Bei- to China totaled $1.2 bil-
with us, allow us to inter- man was detained briefly done “for a joke,” Khalid jing indicated such a strat- lion last year, according
view them and interview outside the morgue after rejected that claim. “This egy was in play. Foreign to Chinese customs, rep-
them quickly,” he said. “If he was found without any is not just like shooting a Ministry spokesman Geng resenting more than a
not, we will compel them identification documents. movie,” he said. Shuang said the country third of the North’s total
to come to us.” He was released after a One of female suspects, wants parallel negotia- export income. Geng, the
Police say the substance colleague confirmed his Doan Thi Huong, 28, was tions on nuclear matters Chinese spokesman, ex-
used remains unknown, identity. The North Korean posting to a Facebook and a formal peace trea- plained China’s decision
but it was potent enough Embassy’s statement was page under the name ty to replace the armistice by saying the coal imports
to kill Kim before he could aimed at getting at least Ruby Ruby, according to ending the 1950-53 Ko- this year already “approxi-
even make it to a hospital. a little of the country’s spin her niece, Dinh Thi Quyen. rean War — a longstand- mated” a $400 million an-
Khalid said the women in international coverage Photos on the page show ing North Korean request. nual cap set by the U.N.
knew they were handling of the killing. It questioned Huong, who is Vietnam- Washington has said the Security Council. In any
poisonous materials and the fairness of the Malay- ese, wearing a white shirt North’s nuclear weapons case, questions will now
“were warned to take pre- sian investigation, which that appears to say “LOL,” program must be settled be asked of the Trump ad-
cautions.” Surveillance vid- it has alleged is based on like the one seen on secu- first. Meanwhile, the news- ministration.
eo showed both keeping lies and biased presump- rity camera video during paper of China’s ruling As a presidential candi-
their hands away from their tions and has been taint- the attack. It shows her Communist Party, Global date, Trump expressed a
bodies after the attack, he ed by South Korean influ- posing for selfies in Kuala Times, published a pair willingness to speak with
said, then going to rest- ence. While that approach Lumpur a few days be- of editorials Wednesday Kim — a politically risky
rooms to wash. Those de- hasn’t been particularly fore the incident and last calling for aid-for-disar- move given North Korea’s
tails are not clear in video persuasive, it can create month in Phnom Penh, mament talks to restart. history of reneging on past
obtained by media outlets. some level of doubt over Cambodia.q They’ve been on ice since agreements.q