Hunt for four who fled Malaysia as Kim Jong-Nam was assassinated

An international manhunt is under way for four North Koreans who fled Malaysia as Kim Jong-Nam was being killed.

The men, aged between 33 and 57, flew out of the country on Monday - the day Mr Kim was assassinated at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Mr Kim, the estranged half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, was sprayed with an unidentified chemical.

Four people have already been arrested in connection with the 45-year-old's murder.

Details of the new suspects emerged at a news conference with police chief Tan Sri Noor Rashid Ibrahim - but he would not reveal where the men flew.

Another three North Koreans are being sought to assist police with their enquiries.

South Korea and the US have said Mr Kim was assassinated by North Korean agents.

Two women are believed to have carried out the attack.

Two female suspects, one from Indonesia and the other carrying Vietnamese travel documents, were detained earlier this week, along with the Malaysian boyfriend of one of the suspects.

Officers also arrested a North Korean man on Friday - 46-year-old IT worker Ri Jong Hol.

:: Image emerges of Kim-Jong-Nam 'alive after attack'

Pyongyang has demanded Mr Kim's body be returned but Malaysia has refused the request, saying it must remain until identified through a DNA sample from a family member.

A family member has yet to come forward and a cause of death has still not been established.

North Korea has said it will reject Malaysia's post-mortem report and accused the country of "colluding with outside forces", a veiled reference to South Korea.

Mr Kim was known to advocate reform of North Korea's authoritarian regime and opposed its dynastic succession policy.

South Korean intelligence chiefs believe his killing was an assassination ordered by Kim Jong-Un some time ago because he perceived his half-brother to be a threat.

Kim Jong-Nam was the son of Song Hye-Rim, a South Korean actress thought to have been a mistress of Kim Jong-Il.

Understood to be heir apparent as eldest son, he was apparently overlooked after a botched attempt to enter Japan in May 2001 on a forged passport.

He claimed he wanted to visit Disney's Tokyo resort, but the incident embarrassed his father and Kim Jong-Un was selected as his successor.