SHAH ALAM: Two women pleaded not guilty Monday to murdering Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, at the start of their trial in a Cold War-style assassination that shocked the world.

Indonesian Siti Aisyah and Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong entered their pleas through interpreters at the High Court here.

The murder charge was read first in Bahasa Indonesia to Siti Aisyah, 25, who was wearing a traditional dress. After conferring with an interpreter, the interpreter indicated she was pleading not guilty.

The charge was then read in the Vietnamese language to Doan, 29, who was wearing a blue jumper. Her interpreter also told the court that she was pleading not guilty.

The defendants were arrested just days after the killing of Jong-Nam on Feb 13 as he waited to board a plane to Macau at KLIA 2

They are accused of rubbing the toxic VX nerve agent in his face, but both claimed they were duped into believing they were taking part in a prank for a reality TV show. – AFP