Pyongyang gov ' t behind murder of Kim Jong - nam : spy agency SEOUL , Feb . 27 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korea ' s spy agency said Monday the North Korean government was behind the assassination of Kim Jong - nam , adding that those involved worked for the country ' s foreign ministry and secret police . During the meeting with lawmakers , the National Intelligence Agency said four of the eight suspects behind the murder worked for Pyongyang ' s Ministry of State Security , with two others being from the foreign ministry . North Korean leader Kim Jong - un ' s half brother Kim Jong - nam was killed in Malaysia earlier this month . The eldest son of late former leader Kim Jong - il died on Feb . 13 in Kuala Lumpur after apparently being poisoned with VX nerve agent at a busy airport . colin @ yna . co . kr ( END )