Kim Jong Nam, half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, assassinated in Malaysia
South Korea has confirmed the killing of the brother of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un, saying it could be a sign of the brutality of Pyongyang.
Kim Jong-nam was killed in an apparent poison attack in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, on Monday.
No motive has been confirmed and the attackers have not been identified.
South Korea's acting president Hwang Kyo-ahn said if North Korea was found to be responsible, it would show its "brutality and inhumane nature".
If confirmed, it would be the most high-profile death at the hands of the North Korean leadership since Kim Jong-un's uncle, Chang Song-thaek, was executed in 2013.
Mr Kim appears to have been attacked with a chemical while preparing to board a flight home to Macau from in Kuala Lumpur's airport on Monday.
His death was made public only on Tuesday. On Wednesday morning, his body was released from hospital. A post-mortem examination was expected to be conducted.
A Malaysian police official, Fadzil Ahmat, told Reuters that so far there were no suspects, "but we have started investigations and are looking at a few possibilities to get leads".
Police are studying security camera footage from the airport. Images circulating in the media have focused on two women seen alongside Mr Kim, who were later seen leaving the scene in a taxi.
Unnamed US government sources have said they believe he was poisoned by North Korean agents, but there has been no official comment from the White House.
- What happened?
Exactly how the attack unfolded is still unclear. Officials and witnesses have variously said he was splashed with a chemical or had a cloth placed over his face. Earlier reports spoke of a "spray" being used or a needle.
He died on the way to hospital.
- Why the delay in identifying him?
Police then released a statement which quoted the victim's travel document identifying him as "Kim Chol", born on 10 June 1970. Kim Jong-nam is believed to have been born on 10 May 1971.
It was not the first time Mr Kim had travelled under an assumed identity: he was caught trying to enter Japan using a false passport in 2001. He told officials he had been planning to visit Tokyo Disneyland.
- Why was he flying to China?
The Tokyo Disneyland incident is thought to have spoilt his chances of succeeding Kim Jong-il, who died in 2011.
He later spoke out against his family's dynastic control of North Korea and in a 2012 book, was quoted as saying he believed his younger half-brother lacked leadership qualities.
But he had said he was not interested in assuming the leadership himself.
- Was this an assassination?
A North Korean spy jailed by South Korea in 2012 was reported to have admitted trying to organise a hit-and-run accident targeting him.
The secretive state has a long history of sending agents overseas to carry out assassinations, attacks and kidnappings.
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This has been all over the news in South Korea since last night when the news broke :/ Our acting president has put the country on high alert, since this is on top of the recent missile launches. Also, kind of dreading how Mr. 45 will handle all of this, considering he's already pissed off South Korea by not mentioning us at all in his initial comments about the recent missile launches, as well as the fact that he is acting so buddy buddy with Abe.