The estranged, exiled half-brother of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un was "paranoid" before his death, a close friend has claimed.

Kim Jong-nam was "afraid" and "worried", according Anthony Sahakian, who said the 46-year-old had feared he would be seen as leadership threat following the death of their father, Kim Jong Il, in 2011.

Mr Sahakian, who attended a prestigious international school in the Swiss city of Geneva, said that his friend had feared that his brother would order his assassination, or someone would try to kill him in a bid to impress the North Korean leader.

“He was afraid," Mr Sahakian told The Guardian. "It wasn’t an all-encompassing fear but he was paranoid. He was a politically important person. He was worried. Of course he was worried."

He added that Mr Kim, who he knew as Lee, had wanted reform and to open the country up to outsiders but did not have the “character of the will” to jostle for the leadership.

His friend died at Kuala Lumpur International Airport last week when he was allegedly poisoned by two female assassins who wiped a liquid on his face.

Malaysian police have arrested a North Korean man, a Vietnamese woman and an Indonesian woman have been arrested already in connection with his death. Four North Korean suspects also fled the country, investigators said.

Inside the daily life in North Korea Show all 19 1 /19 Inside the daily life in North Korea Inside the daily life in North Korea People reading a newspaper at the metro station Inside the daily life in North Korea Thoughts of the leaders on the tram. They have about a dozen of these on every tram, all with different thoughts Inside the daily life in North Korea Young people training for a big upcoming festival Inside the daily life in North Korea People at the Pyongyang's annual marathon Inside the daily life in North Korea Many stars on one of the trolleys in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea An intimidating poster in a primary school in North Korea. Inside the daily life in North Korea Solar panels installed on a street lamp. Inside the daily life in North Korea A poster on the window next to one of the venues we visited in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea Kids playing football next to the Arch of Triumph. After a while tourists were allowed to join, so some of us did Inside the daily life in North Korea Class in an educational center in Pyongyang (where people over 17 years old can attend any classes they choose after school, for free) Inside the daily life in North Korea People waving at me during the Pyongyang marathon Inside the daily life in North Korea People having a great time dancing at a public park Inside the daily life in North Korea A metro driver in a metro station in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea Fireworks to mark the birthday of the Eternal President Kim Il Sung on our last night in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea My wonderful tour guide at a public park Inside the daily life in North Korea One of the parks in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea A person rowing some boats for the day at a river in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea The National War Museum Inside the daily life in North Korea Public park in Pyongyang

One of the female suspect has reportedly told investigators that she had been told she was taking part in a TV prank show and had not been aware the liquid was poison.

Mr Sahakian said his friend would talk about how the regime was run by a “gerontocracy” of old Stalinist generals who wanted to keep the country under their repressive rule.

He added that Mr Kim had a European sensibility having been educated in the West since he was 12,

“He wanted out. He never had any ambitions to rule the country. He didn’t accept or appreciate what was going on there. He kept relations with the regime at arm’s length,” he said.

Although Kim Jong Nam would insist he never formally defected from the regime he had been living in exile for more than a decade before his death.

His death came after a string of executions among the top tier of the North Korean elite.

After coming to power, Kim Jong-un has executed or purged several high ranking officials and generals including his own uncle Jang Song Thaek.