Asia

Malaysia: No cause of death determined yet for North Korean

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Malaysian police officers gather at front entrance to the forensic department at Kuala Lumpur Hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. North Korea's ambassador to Malaysia on Monday denounced the country's investigation into the death of the exiled half brother of North Korea's ruler, calling it politically motivated and demanding a joint probe amid increasingly bitter exchanges between the once-friendly nations. (AP Photo/YC Hiam) (The Associated Press)

Special Task Force On Organised Crime (STAFOC) police patrol at the National Forensic Institute at Kuala Lumpur Hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. North Korea's ambassador to Malaysia on Monday denounced the country's investigation into the death of the exiled half brother of North Korea's ruler, calling it politically motivated and demanding a joint probe amid increasingly bitter exchanges between the once-friendly nations. (AP Photo/Alexandra Radu) (The Associated Press)

Special Task Force On Organised Crime (STAFOC) police sand guard in front of the National Forensic Institute at Kuala Lumpur Hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. North Korea's ambassador to Malaysia on Monday denounced the country's investigation into the death of the exiled half brother of North Korea's ruler, calling it politically motivated and demanding a joint probe amid increasingly bitter exchanges between the once-friendly nations. (AP Photo/Alexandra Radu) (The Associated Press)

Malaysian officials say a cause of death has not yet been determined for the exiled member of North Korea's ruling family who died last week after apparently being poisoned in the budget terminal of a Kuala Lumpur airport.

Noor Hisham Abdullah, the country's director general of health, told reporters Tuesday that the autopsy showed no evidence of a heart attack in Kim Jong Nam's death, or sign of puncture wounds on his body.

Medical specimens have been forwarded to experts, who will determine the cause of death.

"We have to confirm with the lab report before we can make any conclusive remark," he said.