The murder of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s half brother by assassins wielding deadly VX nerve agent underscores the threat from North Korea’s chemical weapons arsenal in addition to its nuclear capability, the Pentagon said Friday.
“While much is made of the nuclear threat and the missile threat, the chemical threat is one that is long-known and well-documented,” said Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman.
Malaysian authorities say an autopsy on Kim Jong Nam revealed he died from being poisoned by the deadly nerve agent VX, which has been classified as a weapon of mass destruction by the United Nations.
Police in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur say two women in the airport approached Kim as he prepared to board a flight to the Chinese territory of Macau, and rubbed the chemical on his face.
While the Pentagon said it is well aware that North Korea possesses deadly chemical agents, including VX nerve agent, the Feb. 13 attack is believed to be the first time the chemical has been used as a weapon of assassination outside the country.
The U.S. has 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea to help defend against an invasion from the North, and all have been issued chemical protective suits, according to the Pentagon.
“It is something we are prepared to defend against, have been for quite some time,” Davis said. “It should not come as a surprise to anybody that North Korea, which flagrantly violates a number of international norms and standards, would violate this one as well.”
North Korea is not a signatory to the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention, the treaty signed by 192 nations banning the production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons.
