US Department of Justice Indicts Two North Koreans for Violating Sanctions... Including Suspect in Kim Jong-nam Assassination

Three People Including Two North Koreans and One Malaysian Indicted for 'Violating North Korea Sanctions'

Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, appearing at Narita Airport, Japan, in May 2001 (AP=Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] The U.S. Department of Justice announced on the 11th (local time) that it has indicted two North Koreans, including a suspect in the 2017 assassination of Kim Jong-nam, and one Malaysian for violating North Korea sanctions.

According to U.S. local media such as The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the Washington prosecutors indicted three individuals: Ri Jong-chol, his daughter Ri Yu-kyong, and Malaysian Gan Chi-rim. The Ri father and daughter are accused of conspiring with Gan Chi-rim since 2015 to establish shell companies and support the purchase of goods for North Korean clients through illegal dollar transactions.

The Department of Justice stated that violating North Korea sanctions benefits North Korea and channels funds to destabilizing elements.

Ri Jong-chol was arrested as a suspect when Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un, was assassinated with poison at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia in 2017, but was later released. Kim Jong-nam died after being attacked with the chemical weapon VX nerve agent. His daughter Ri Yu-kyong is known to have assisted as an interpreter for Ri Jong-chol.

WSJ reported that after Ri Jong-chol was released, he was deported from Malaysia but continued his activities locally under a disguised identity.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.