Business as usual at KLIA2, safety measures added after Kim Jong Nam's attack at airport

SEPANG (BERNAMA) - It is business as usual at the KL International Airport 2 (KLIA2), but additional security measures have been put in place following the death of on Monday (Feb 13) of a North Korean man believed to be Kim Jong Nam, the elder half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

A Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) spokesman told the Bernama news agency additional security measures included the deployment of plainclothes police officers.

A North Korean man who went by the name of Kim Chol had sought help at the customer service counter at KLIA2 on Monday and reportedly died on the way to hospital. International news outlets later identified the man as Kim Jong Nam and that he was poisoned by two women said to be North Korean operatives.

The MAHB spokesman said the airport operator had to keep a check on the foreign journalists who had come in droves to the airport following the incident.

These journalists were given about 10 minutes to take photographs and videos at the airport and advised to leave KLIA2, he said.

"This case has been taken over by the police. The foreign journalists keep bugging the passengers and they (passengers) get uncomfortable. We, MAHB, need to take care of the welfare of the passengers," he said.

Meanwhile, a taxi marshal at KLIA2 who only wanted to be known as Jebat said he was not aware of the incident as he was on leave then, but he learned that one of his colleagues was questioned by the police.

Local or foreign tourists approached by Bernama at the airport said they were unaware of the incident and expressed disbelief upon hearing about it from journalists.

Taiwanese Valentina Cheng, 37, who is a marketing digital officer at a Malaysian company, said she did not know about it and was not frightened by it.

A Malaysian passenger, who was also unaware of the incident, expressed confidence over the security and safety at KLIA2.

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