The News

Vietnam urges Malaysia free 2nd woman in N. Korean killing

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam is urging Malaysia to release the second woman accused of killing the estranged half brother of North Korea’s leader.

Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh made the plea in a phone call Tuesday with his counterpart, Saifuddin Abdullah.

A statement posted on the ministry’s website said Minh requested the Malaysian court conduct a fair trial and free Doan Thi Huong.

Malaysia on Monday dropped the murder charge against her co-defendant, Indonesian Siti Aisyah, who has returned to her home village.

Huong’s murder trial resumes Thursday. The two women were accused along with four missing North Koreans of killing Kim Jong Nam by VX nerve agent at a Malaysian airport in 2017. Both women say they were thought they were playing a prank for a TV show.