DPRK leader's half-brother killed in Malaysia: media

News program about the death of Kim Jong Nam, the older half-brother of the DRPK leader and the eldest son of late leader Kim Jong Il, is seen on TV at the Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Feb. 14, 2017. (Xinhua/Yao Qilin)

The half-brother of top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un has been killed in Malaysia, South Korean cable news channel TV Chosun reported on Tuesday citing multiple government sources.

Kim Jong Nam, the older half-brother of the DRPK leader and the eldest son of late leader Kim Jong Il, has been found dead in Kuala Lumpur early Monday, the Chosun TV said.

He has been based outside the DPRK since he was caught trying to enter Japan on a fake passport in 2001.

Multiple South Korean government sources were quoted as saying that the half brother seemed to have killed at a Kuala Lumpur airport at about 9 a.m. Malaysian time (0100 GMT) Monday.

Yonhap news agency reported that South Korea's foreign and unification ministries declined to confirm the killing.

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Malaysian police say dead man from DPRK with passport under name Kim Chol

Malaysian police said Tuesday the man from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) who had died Monday at a Kuala Lumpur airport was holding a passport under the name Kim Chol.

Khalid Abu Bakar, chief of the Malaysian police, said 46-year-old Kim, who was born in Pyongyang, sought medical assistance at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 Customer Service Counter before he died enroute to a hospital.

According to the police, investigation is in progress and a post-mortem examination request has been made to ascertain the cause of death.

While police only identify the man by citing his travel documents, South Korean news media have reported the man was Kim Jong Nam, the elder half-brother of DPRK's top leader Kim Jong un.