The brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was assassinated in Malaysia, police confirmed Tuesday.
Kim Jong Nam, the older half-brother of the North Korean, was apparently assassinated by two women, according to reports.
Nam was known for spending a significant amount of time outside of North Korea, and for speaking out against his family's dynastic rule of North Korea.
It has been speculated that Kim Jong Un ordered the assassination of his half-brother.
"It's another sign that Kim Jong Un is asserting his control over the regime — rather than the regime descending into chaos," said Anwita Basu, lead analyst for North Korea at the Economist Intelligence Unit, in London. "He was a threat and he was removed."
South Korean media reported that the female assassins used "poisoned needles."