How the Government Tricked Two YouTubers into Killing a Man in Public

Summary

The assassination of Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, unfolds as a complex international incident. In 2017, two women, Siti Aisyah and Đoàn Thị Hương, were accused of poisoning him with VX nerve agent at Kuala Lumpur Airport. They claimed they were tricked into thinking they were part of a prank video. Despite the North Korean operatives orchestrating the attack, the women were eventually released, while the masterminds remained free. The case highlights political intrigue, manipulation, and the consequences of international diplomacy.

Takeaways

• 😀 Kim Jong-nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, was assassinated at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in 2017.
• 😀 The assassination involved the use of VX nerve agent, a weapon of mass destruction, applied to Kim Jong-nam’s face, leading to his swift death.
• 😀 Kim Jong-nam had been a critic of his father’s regime and had distanced himself from the North Korean leadership.
• 😀 Kim Jong-nam's death sparked a diplomatic conflict between Malaysia and North Korea, with both countries expelling each other's diplomats and instituting travel bans.
• 😀 The two women accused of carrying out the attack, Siti Aisyah and Đoàn Thị Hương, claimed they thought they were participating in a prank video and were unaware of the deadly nature of the poison.
• 😀 The defense for both women argued that the attack appeared coordinated and orchestrated by North Korean agents, including four men who were later identified as key operatives.
• 😀 Despite the apparent involvement of North Korean officials, the two women faced trial, with Siti Aisyah being released in 2019 after the Indonesian government intervened.
• 😀 Đoàn Thị Hương, despite a similar defense, was not granted the same leniency and ultimately pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, receiving a prison sentence before being released early.
• 😀 The trial raised questions about international justice and the influence of governments, as both women seemed to have been manipulated into committing the crime unknowingly.
• 😀 The masterminds behind the assassination, four North Korean suspects, escaped back to North Korea, and the broader international conspiracy went unpunished.

Q & A

Why was Kim Jong-nam a critic of his father's regime?

Kim Jong-nam was a critic of his father's regime due to his early experiences in Switzerland, where he was exposed to different political systems. He occasionally spoke out against the autocratic tendencies of his father's leadership.

What incident significantly impacted Kim Jong-nam's reputation?

The Tokyo incident, where Kim Jong-nam was caught trying to enter Japan with a fake passport, became a major embarrassment for his family. This incident hurt his reputation, especially given his father's strict regime.

Why did Kim Jong-nam not attend Kim Jong-il's funeral in 2011?

Kim Jong-nam did not attend the funeral of his father, Kim Jong-il, in 2011, which was seen as a strong indication of his estrangement from the North Korean regime. As the eldest son, his absence was highly notable and unexpected.

What were the primary motivations behind Kim Jong-un's decision to have his half-brother, Kim Jong-nam, assassinated?

Kim Jong-un saw his half-brother, Kim Jong-nam, as a threat to his power. Given Kim Jong-nam's critical stance towards the regime and his estrangement, Kim Jong-un felt that removing him was necessary to secure his position.

What was the significance of the VX nerve agent in Kim Jong-nam's assassination?

VX nerve agent, a deadly toxin, was used in the assassination of Kim Jong-nam. It was applied to his face, and it killed him in minutes. The choice of VX highlighted the severity and political nature of the murder.

Why was Kim Jong-nam carrying a large sum of money and fake passports at the time of his death?

Kim Jong-nam was carrying $100,000 in cash and multiple fake passports, which raised suspicions about his possible ties to intelligence agencies, like the CIA. Some suggest that the money may have been payment for information he provided.

Why was an antidote for the VX nerve agent found in Kim Jong-nam's bag?

The presence of an antidote for VX nerve agent in Kim Jong-nam's bag suggested he was aware of the risk of assassination. The antidote was meant to buy him time in case of poisoning, although it would not have been effective in preventing his death, which occurred too rapidly.

What were the legal defenses used by Siti Aisyah and Đoàn Thị Hương during their trial?

Siti Aisyah and Đoàn Thị Hương's defense argued that they were duped into believing they were participating in a prank video and had no knowledge that they were poisoning Kim Jong-nam. CCTV footage was used to show their behavior and cast doubt on their awareness of the deadly toxin.

What was the result of the trial for Siti Aisyah and Đoàn Thị Hương?

Siti Aisyah was released after diplomatic intervention by the Indonesian government. Đoàn Thị Hương, on the other hand, pled guilty to a lesser charge, avoiding the death penalty, and was later released early, returning to Vietnam.

How did the international community respond to Kim Jong-nam's assassination?

The assassination of Kim Jong-nam led to significant diplomatic fallout, particularly between North Korea and Malaysia. Malaysia imposed visa restrictions on North Koreans, and North Korea retaliated by banning Malaysians from leaving their country.