Nerve agent used for killing Kim

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un's half brother was assassinated with a lethal nerve agent manufactured for chemical warfare and listed by the UN as a weapon of mass destruction, Malaysian police said yesterday.

Releasing a preliminary toxicology report on Kim Jong-Nam's murder at Kuala Lumpur airport, police revealed the poison used by the assassins was the odourless, tasteless and highly toxic VX.

The news brought condemnation from South Korea, which slammed the use of the nerve agent as a "blatant violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and other international norms".

Experts in the South said yesterday that North Korea has up to 5,000 tonnes of chemical weapons stockpiled, including a supply of VX.

Kim died on February 13 after being attacked at Kuala Lumpur International Airport by two women, who are seen on CCTV footage shoving something in his face.

He suffered a seizure and was dead before he reached hospital.

An autopsy revealed traces of VX -- a fast-acting toxin that sparks respiratory collapse and heart failure -- on the dead man's face and in his eyes.

Tiny amounts of the poison are enough to kill an adult, whether it is inhaled or absorbed through the skin.

"I am outraged that the criminals used such a dangerous chemical in a public area," said Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar

It "could have caused mass injuries or even death to other people".

One of the two women arrested after the attack fell ill in custody, police said, adding she had been vomiting.

National police chief Khalid Abu Bakar has previously said the woman who attacked Kim from behind clearly knew she was carrying out a poison attack, dismissing claims that she thought she was taking part in a TV prank.

"The lady was moving away with her hands towards the bathroom," Khalid said earlier this week.

"She was very aware that it was toxic and that she needed to wash her hands."

QUIT LYING

Malaysia warned North Korea's outspoken ambassador yesterday he would be thrown out of the country if he continues to "spew lies" over the investigation into the assassination of Kim Jong-Nam.

Malaysia Foreign Minister Anifah Aman lashed out at Kang Chol, the envoy of the Stalinist state, who has said "we cannot trust the investigation by the Malaysian police".

Kang has also claimed the probe is politically motivated and that Malaysia had conspired with South Korea to frame the North.

But Anifah cautioned Kang he should watch what he says. "He must enjoy the confidence of the government of Malaysia," Anifah said.

"I hope he understands by what I mean by he must enjoy the confidence of the government of Malaysia."

Anifah added: "The ambassador has been informed of the process involved (in the police investigation) but he continues to be delusional and spew lies and accusations against the government of Malaysia."

A senior Malaysian government official said Kang had been shown a "yellow card", adding: "If he repeats the baseless allegations, he will be expelled."

The only known function of VX is as a chemical warfare agent and the US government's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describes it as the "most potent" of all nerve agents.

VX was used by Japan's Aum cult in the 1994 murder of an office worker in Osaka, and in the attempted murder of two other people.