The body of Kim Jong-nam, who was murdered in Malaysia last month, is still in Kuala Lumpur, health minister Health Minister Subramaniam Sathasivam said on Tuesday, amid reports the remains of the estranged half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will soon leave the country.
"We have to check with the forensics department if there was any requirement to bring the body out, but as far as we are concerned there is no change in status quo," Subramaniam told reporters.
He said the next of kin have not come forward to provide assistance on how the body is to be treated.
Kim Jong-nam was murdered on Feb. 13, when Malaysian police say two women smeared super toxic VX nerve agent on his face at the budget terminal of Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
Media reports on Monday said the body was moved out of the hospital to a funeral parlour, and later was being prepared to go on a flight to Beijing.
Malaysia's New Straits Times newspaper reported on Tuesday that the body was expected to go from Beijing to North Korea, without disclosing its source for the information.
A police patrolling outside North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Source: AAP
China Press, a Chinese language newspaper in Malaysia, on Monday reported that the body's return to North Korea was organised in return for the release of nine Malaysians stranded in North Korea. South Korea's largest news agency Yonhap also ran the report.
North Korea barred Malaysians from leaving earlier in March, sparking tit-for-tat action by Malaysia.
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