Pyongyang claims death of DPRK citizen 'conspiratorial racket' by S. Korea

PYONGYANG -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Thursday said the death of a DPRK citizen at Kuala Lumpur last week was an "anti-DPRK conspiratorial racket" launched by the Republic of Korea (ROK).

The DPRK also blamed the Malaysian side for showing unfriendly attitude when handling the case, the official news agency KCNA reported.

A spokesman for the Korean Jurists Committee said the autopsy was unnecessary as the death had been confirmed as the one due to heart stroke and the deceased man carried a diplomatic passport, according to the KCNA.

The incident was "undisguised encroachment upon the sovereignty of the DPRK, a wanton human rights abuse and an act contrary to human ethics and morality," said the unnamed spokesman in a statement.

The spokesman claimed that South Korea "worked out the scenario" and released false reports that the man was poisoned to death.

"It is regretful that only Malaysia is denying such fact," he added.

The spokesman also criticized the Malaysian side for conducting an autopsy without any prior agreement with the DPRK or its presence, in disregard of the just demand from the DPRK and international law.

"Malaysia is obliged to hand his body to the DPRK side as it made an autopsy and forensic examination of it in an illegal and immoral manner," the statement said, adding that this proves Malaysia is to politicize the transfer of the body (to the DPRK) in disregard of international law and morality and attain "a sinister purpose."

The victim, whom the Malaysian authorities claimed as Kim Jong Nam, the half brother of the DPRK top leader Kim Jong Un, was murdered in Kuala Lumpur last week.

Malaysian police had detained a total of four suspects following the death of the 46-year-old man on Feb. 13 after being attacked by two women at a Kuala Lumpur airport, but later released one of them, a male from Malaysia.