by Dramelin 5:00 AM 0 comments

PhotoSEOUL, South Korea ? The estranged half brother of Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, was assassinated in Malaysia this week, the South Korean news media reported Tuesday, citing an unidentified government source. South Korea?s National Intelligence Service and its Unification Ministry said they could not immediately confirm the report. The half brother, Kim Jong-nam, 45, was killed by two women who attacked him with poison needles at a Kuala Lumpur airport on Monday, South Korea?s all-news channel TV Chosun reported without identifying its source. Reports of the killing come amid a period of turmoil in the upper ranks of North Korea?s leadership. The chief of North Korea?s powerful secret police, long considered the right-hand man for the top leader, Kim Jong-un, was recently dismissed on charges of corruption and abuse of power, according to the South Korean government.