Malaysia footage shows second North Korean man behind assassination

Oct. 26 (UPI) -- Surveillance footage of a possible second North Korean male suspect from the Malaysian airport where Kim Jong Nam was assassinated has emerged, according to Malaysia's prosecution.

The assassination of Kim Jong Un's half-brother with a nerve agent by two women suspects, Doan Thi Huong, of Vietnam, and Siti Aisyah, of Indonesia, may have been orchestrated by a man nicknamed "Hanamori," South Korean newspaper Hankuk Ilbo reported Thursday.

The newly discovered footage shows Hanamori directing his accomplices, including a member of North Korea's foreign ministry, Hong Song-hak.

Hong, 34, is believed to have recruited Huong and Aisyah into working for him, but without giving the women specific details on the project or whether they would be involved in the murder of a North Korean individual.

Hong also may have facilitated Hanamori's access to two other men, known as "Jang" and a second who went by "Y."

According to Malaysian authorities, Jang and Y had directly applied the VX nerve agent to the women's hands.

Footage from the site shows Y remained at the site, water bottle in hand, to watch Huong and Aisyah launch their attack on Kim Jong Nam.

Earlier on Oct. 8 Japan's Fuji TV reported a man in a taxi, giving Aisyah a ticket, was Hong Song-hak, and the North Korean reconnaissance bureau agent who gave Huong the order to attack was Ri Jae Nam.

Malaysian authorities have also disclosed Hanamori, Jang and Y left the airport terminal after the attack on Kim.

The suspects in the vehicle were apprehended but were eventually released owing to insufficient evidence.

The detained women have said they believed they were starring in a prank for a television show and were unaware they were launching an attack on the half-brother of the North Korean leader.

Police chief investigating officer Wan Azirul Nizam Che Wan Aziz said Hanamori was the chief conductor of the attack.

A fifth suspect Ri Ji Woo, 30, may have played a critical role in in recruiting Aisyah, and went by the pseudonym "James."

James left the airport in a vehicle with the other suspects, following the attack.

On Tuesday Huong and Aisyah took part in an inspection of the scene at the airport where they had attacked Kim in February, returning to the site for the first time in eight months, Voice of America reported.