KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 28 -- In February 2017, a high-profile assassination at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) gripped the nation.

The victim was Kim Jong-nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korea supremo Kim Jong Un, who died within minutes after two women smeared the VX nerve agent on his face.

The VX, an amber-coloured, tasteless and odourless liquid, is banned under the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention.

The suspects later claimed that they thought they were part of a reality prank show and were unaware of the poisoning.

A diplomatic uproar ensued, leading both countries to expel each other's ambassadors.

Diplomatic ties were eventually severed following a separate extradition case in March 2021.

How the assassination ...