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The hospital in Kuala Lumpur where Kim Jong-nam’s body is being kept. (Yonhap News)

The Malaysian government announced that it had visited one of Kim Jong-nam’s sons to collect DNA to verify Kim’s identity as the victim of a killing last month at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

The Star and other local news sources reported Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on May. 17 saying Malaysian government officials had gone “to the location of [Kim’s] son” to collect a DNA sample.

Zahid did not say which of Kim’s sons it was, where the location was, or what DNA sample was taken. Kim Jong-nam had two sons: Kim Kum-sol with his first wife, and Kim Han-sol with his second.

Zahid also said the body could not be returned to North Korea without consent from Kim’s next-of-kin.

“I will check on the [DNA] consent document, the list made by the next-of-kin to the Malaysian Government through the [foreign] ministry,” he said.

Kim Jong-nam’s family members have reportedly entrusted the Malaysian government with the authority to dispose of Kim’s corpse.

By Hwang Sang-cheol, staff reporter

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