( LEAD ) Malaysia requests N . K . Embassy cooperate with probe into Kim ' s death : source ( ATTN : EXPANDS dateline ; ADDS more details in paras 9 - 12 ) KUALA LUMPUR / SEOUL , Feb . 27 ( Yonhap ) -- Malaysia has requested the North Korean Embassy in Kuala Lumpur allow a diplomat and an airline employee to submit to a probe into the death of Kim Jong - nam , the half brother the North ' s incumbent leader , a source said Monday . Malaysian police said last week that Hyon Kwang - song , the second secretary at the embassy , and Kim Uk - il , an employee at Air Koryo , the country ' s flag carrier , are suspected of being involved in the killing of Kim on Feb . 13 . Kim was killed at an airport in Malaysia after two Asian women allegedly wiped VX nerve agent on his face . VX is a deadly compound banned as a chemical weapon . Malaysia ' s foreign ministry is believed to have sent an official document requesting the North Korean mission to cooperate in the investigation as Hyon and Kim are wanted for questioning , according to the source . Both are thought to be inside the embassy , with Hyon having diplomatic immunity . This picture compiled with photos released by the European news photo agency EPA on Feb . 22 , 2017 , shows three North Korean suspects who are at large in Malaysia in connection to the death of the half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong - un . Hyon Kwang - song ( R ) , 44 , is the second secretary of the North Korean Embassy in Kuala Lumpur . The next photos show a 30 - year - old man identified as Ri Ji - u ( C ) and Kim Uk - il ( L ) , a 37 - year - old employee at Air Koryo , the North ' s flag carrier . ( Yonhap ) " Despite Malaysia ' s request , it is very unlikely that North Korea would cooperate with the inquiry , " the source said . Malaysian police earlier said that eight North Koreans are suspected of being involved in the death of Kim Jong - nam , the first son of late former leader Kim Jong - il . They arrested one North Korean man while looking for three others , including Hyon and Kim . Four others are believed to have escaped to Pyongyang after fleeing Malaysia on the day of the attack . South Korea earlier said that it is highly likely that North Korea is behind the latest death . Seoul ' s unification ministry on Monday slammed Pyongyang for using VX nerve agent , which is classified as a weapon of mass destruction by the United Nations . " We strongly condemned North Korea for using a chemical weapon against a civilian , " Jeong Joon - hee , a ministry spokesman , told a regular press briefing . " The government plans to take joint actions against Pyongyang with the international community . " Malaysia said Sunday that Kim died within 20 minutes of being poisoned with VX . North Korea blamed Malaysia for pressing ahead with conducting an " illegal and immoral " autopsy on Kim ' s body . It claimed that Malaysia colluded with South Korea on the probe . A diplomatic row is deepening between Malaysia and North Korea as the Southeast Asian country got angry at Pyongyang ' s " baseless " claim over the collusion . There is growing speculation that Malaysia will cut off its diplomatic ties with Pyongyang . Pyongyang and Kuala Lumpur have maintained diplomatic ties for more than 40 years and each have an embassy in the other country . Malaysia is one of the few countries that North Koreans can travel without visas . ( END )