Probe widening, Kim Jong-nam's mistress wanted for questioning by police

Day by day, the assassination of North Korean leader's half brother is leading to unexpected twists in the plot.

Media reports have now identified a woman who is reportedly the Kim Jong-nam's mistress in the widening probe into his death.

So Yong Ra, 41, has been named in a Channel News Asia (CNA) report today citing police sources.

“She is from Pyongyang. She is believed to have lived in Macau together with him since 2001 and eventually got married,” the source reportedly told CNA.

The report went on to describe Yong Ra as a former air stewardess with North Korean state airline, Air Koryo.

She is also known to go by the alias, So Yong La.

“She (So) worked at Air Koryo from 1992 to 1998. She studied at the Pyongyang Music and Dance University.

“So Yong Ra was one of the women who was with him when he was arrested in Japan in 2001,” said the police source, CNA reports.

CNA previously reported that Kim Jong Nam had two wives including a son and a daughter by his second wife.

Other reports citing social media comments name Kim Jong-nam's first wife as Shin Jong-Hui who reportedly lives on the northern suburbs of Beijing and is raising her husband's third wife's daughter Hyun-Kyung.

Meanwhile, his second wife, Lee Hye-Kyung once performed with the Chosun Performing Arts Troupe and also goes by the name “Jang Gil Sun.” She reportedly lives in Macau.

Third wife of Kim Jong-Nam, Myung-Ra is said to be also living in Macau. Her family name remains unknown at this time.

Meanwhile, the discovery of a North Korean spy cell in Kuala Lumpur's Little India district of Brickfields also made international headlines earlier today.

International news agency Reuters uncovered a company front run by North Korean intelligence agents that sells battlefield radio equipment in violation of United Nations sanctions.

Glocom’s website, which was taken down late last year, listed the Little India address in its contacts section. No one answers the door there and the mailbox outside is stuffed with unopened letters, Reuters reports.

Media reports also cite a former director of Glocom, Mustapha Yaakub which CNA reported as having links to an UMNO veterans organisation admitting he was part of a company that tried to sell North Korean battlefield radio equipment for about three years, before realising it was in violation of United Nations sanctions.

"There were already sanctions but I didn't know the products were under UN sanctions until after we we were advised by the police and the Ministry of International Trade and Industry.

I don't know if Glocom really belongs to North Korean intelligence.

"We purely meant business. I accepted a partnership (offer) from North Korea as a businessman without further investigating their background."," Mustapha told CNA.

- mD