Police have completed a "forensic sweep" of one of the terminals at Kuala Lumpur airport where the exiled half-brother of North Korea's leader was poisoned and killed.

Malaysian officials declared it safe after completing the operation to check for possible traces of a toxic nerve agent suspected to have been used in the attack on Kim Jong-Nam.

The two-hour sweep involved officers from the police's chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear teams, as well as the fire department's hazardous materials unit and the government's atomic energy board.

Image: Kuala Lumpur airport is now a 'safe zone'

Senior police official Abdul Samah Mat, who is leading the investigation, declared the terminal a "safe zone" after the no hazardous material was detected.

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


Officials had previously insisted the airport - which has seen tens of thousands of passengers pass through since the attack nearly two weeks ago - was safe.

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

No areas had been cordoned off or protective measures put in place, although officials have said the footsteps of the suspects' were being traced in order to "ensure public safety".

The attack on Mr Kim took place on 13 February.

Image: Police will now conduct a toxic sweep of the terminal at Kuala Lumpur International Airport

Health minister Subramaniam Sathasivam said on Sunday that post mortem results suggested that the banned chemical weapon VX nerve agent caused "very serious paralysis" that led to Mr Kim's death.

The VX agent can lead to death very quickly in high doses, he added.

Meanwhile, one of the female suspects arrested for the murder claimed she was paid the equivalent of £72 to carry out what she believed was a "prank".

Image: Indonesian suspect Siti Aisyah

Indonesian national Siti Aisyah said she had been handed 400 Malaysian ringgits to smear an oily substance - similar to baby oil - onto Mr Kim's face.

The 25-year-old suspect also said she did not want her parents to see her in custody as she did not want them to be "sad" and was worried about their health.

A 28-year-old Vietnamese woman - who said she believed she was "starring in some sort of comedy video" - and a North Korean man have also been arrested.

Image: Vietnamese suspect Doan Thi Huang

Police are currently hunting for further suspects, including four North Korean men who they believe provided the women with poison before fleeing the country.

Malaysian officials have also warned they will issue an arrest warrant for North Korean diplomat Hyon Kwang Song if he refused to cooperate with the investigation.

They had previously acknowledged his right to diplomatic immunity, which meant he could not be forced to attend questioning.