The Assassination of Kim Jong Un’s Brother (Documentary)

Summary

In 2017, two women from Southeast Asia were manipulated into assassinating Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, under the guise of a prank show. The women, believing they were participating in a YouTube prank for $100, unknowingly smeared a deadly nerve agent on Kim's face at Kuala Lumpur Airport. The North Korean regime orchestrated the murder, using the women as scapegoats. Despite evidence pointing to North Korean involvement, the real culprits evaded justice, highlighting the chilling lengths to which a regime will go to eliminate threats.

Takeaways

• 😱 Two women, Doan Thi Huong from Vietnam and Siti Aisyah from Indonesia, were unknowingly involved in the assassination of Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
• 🎭 They were recruited under the guise of participating in a Japanese YouTube prank show, where they were paid to smear strangers' faces with baby oil or moisturizer.
• 💸 The 'prank' was actually a meticulously planned assassination, with the women being the fall guys.
• 🗿 Kim Jong-nam was living in exile, having fallen out of favor with his father, North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, and was seen as a threat by his half-brother Kim Jong-un.
• 💵 The women were paid $100 per prank and believed they were part of a harmless YouTube show until the assassination took place at Kuala Lumpur Airport in Malaysia.
• 🕵️‍♂️ North Korean agents were closely monitoring Kim Jong-nam's every move and orchestrated the attack using the women as proxies.
• 🚫 The assassination utilized a deadly nerve agent called VX, which was applied in two separate instances by the women, forming the lethal dose upon contact.
• 🛂 Malaysia's lenient visa policy for North Koreans made it an ideal location for the attack, allowing the assassins to escape easily.
• 🚔 Despite clear CCTV evidence implicating the women, their trial revealed a much more complex plot involving North Korean agents and a failed previous assassination attempt.
• 🏢 The involvement of the North Korean government in planning and executing the assassination was evident, yet they managed to avoid repercussions by holding Malaysian embassy staff hostage in North Korea.

Q & A

What was the initial prank that Siti Aisyah and Doan Thi Huong were asked to perform?

The initial prank involved running up to a stranger, smearing their face with baby oil or moisturizer, apologizing, and then running away.

How much were Siti Aisyah and Doan Thi Huong paid for each prank they performed?

They were paid a hundred dollars for each prank they performed.

What made the prank at Kuala Lumpur Airport different from the previous ones?

The Kuala Lumpur Airport prank was different because their target, Kim Jong-nam, died 20 minutes later, making it a real assassination rather than a prank.

Who was Kim Jong-nam and what was his relation to North Korea?

Kim Jong-nam was the older half-brother of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un and the first-born son of the late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.

Why was Kim Jong-nam living in exile?

Kim Jong-nam was living in exile because he was exiled from North Korea after an embarrassing incident where he was caught trying to enter Japan on a fake passport.

What was the role of the CIA in Kim Jong-nam's life during his exile?

During his exile, Kim Jong-nam became one of the CIA's most important North Korean informants, providing valuable information about the North Korean government and his family in exchange for financial support.

What was the significance of the modified VX nerve agent used in the assassination?

The modified VX nerve agent was significant because it was a powerful poison that caused Kim Jong-nam's death. It was also specially formulated so that when the two oils applied by Siti Aisyah and Doan Thi Huong combined, it formed the deadly poison.

How did the North Korean agents manipulate Siti Aisyah and Doan Thi Huong into carrying out the assassination?

The North Korean agents posed as Japanese producers of a YouTube prank show and convinced Siti Aisyah and Doan Thi Huong to perform what they believed were harmless pranks for money.

What was the outcome of the trial for Siti Aisyah and Doan Thi Huong?

Siti Aisyah and Doan Thi Huong were arrested and put on trial for murder. However, they were eventually cleared and allowed to go free, as it was revealed they were unknowing pawns in a larger assassination plot.

What was the role of the North Korean government in the assassination of Kim Jong-nam?

The North Korean government was heavily involved in the planning and execution of the assassination. They provided the poison, orchestrated the operation, and ensured the escape of their agents involved in the plot.

How did the North Korean government respond to the investigation by the Malaysian authorities?

The North Korean government used diplomatic pressure by holding Malaysian Embassy staff in North Korea hostage, which eventually led to the release of the North Korean agents involved in the assassination back to North Korea.