Two women have been charged with the murder of Kim Jong-Nam, who was assassinated at Kuala Lumpur's main airport.

Police say the two women smeared VX nerve agent on the face of the estranged half-brother of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Un in an assault on 13 February.

If they are found guilty, the women could face being hanged for the crime.

Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, 28, told Hanoi officials she had been tricked into killing Mr Kim, 45, and thought she was taking part in a prank for a comedy video.

Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, reportedly told a senior diplomat that she had been paid a small amount of cash for her role in the "prank", and added she believed she was handling a liquid like "baby oil".


Image: Doan Thi Huang (L) and Siti Aisyah

A third suspect, 46-year-old North Korean man Ri Jong-Chol, was also arrested.

:: What is VX nerve agent and what does it do?

Seven North Korean suspects are being hunted by police, including four who fled the country on the day of the killing and are believed to be back in North Korea.

The killing took place amid crowds of travellers at Kuala Lumpur's airport and appeared to be a well-planned hit.

Image: Kim Jong-Un's half-brother, Kim Jong-Nam, pictured in 2010

Malaysian authorities said North Koreans put the deadly nerve agent VX on the hands of Aisyah and Huong, who then placed the toxin on Mr Kim's face.

He died on the way to hospital within about 20 minutes of the attack.

South Korean legislators said on Monday that the country's National Intelligence Service told them in a private briefing that four of the North Koreans identified as suspects are from the Ministry of State Security, the North's spy organisation.

CCTV 'shows Kim Jong-Nam assassination'

Malaysia's investigation into the killing has created diplomatic tension with North Korea, which has sent a high-ranking delegation to Kuala Lumpur.

Pyongyang is demanding that Mr Kim's body is handed over and they also want the release of the North Korean man arrested in connection with the killing.