Exclusive: Malaysia asks for China's help in identifying Kim Jong-nam's body as tensions with North Korea rise

Malaysian has already sought the assistance of the Chinese government in reaching a next of kin for Kim Jong-nam to get a positive identification of the body, it can be revealed.

The move is likely to increase the already fraught relations between Kuala Lumpur and Pyongyang following the murder last Monday of the half-brother of Kim Jong-un, North Korea's Supreme Leader. Tensions have also risen between Pyongyang and its key ally, China, over the murder.

The body has been identified by Malaysian authorities as Kim Jong-nam, but North Korea has refused to confirm it is its leader's half brother and has been referring to him as Kim Chol, using the name on the victim's passport.

"While the North Korean embassy in Malaysia is yet to assist Malaysia to contact the Kim Chol's next of kin, Malaysia police have no other option but to go through the proper channel to request that the China government assists in the seeking of Kim Chol's next of kin," a senior security source who did not want to be named told the Telegraph.

Mr Kim's next-of-kin is either Kim Han-sol, the 21-year-old son of Kim Jong-nam, who was given a police guard at his university in France in 2013, or Kim Sol-hui, his 19-year-old daughter.

Kim Han-sol is keen to come to Malaysia to pay his respects to his father, but fears being assassinated himself, police said.

It is possible that Kim Jong-un now sees Kim Han-sol as the potential heir to his father's claim to the leadership of the North Korean people.

Kim Sol-hui is expected to visit Malaysia on Sunday and provide DNA samples for the identification process.

"Once the body identification is done and confirmed, she would directly fly back to Macau, as China's embassy will be assisting her to go through the formalities for body claiming," the source said.

Malaysia's Inspector of General Police Khalid Abu Bakar stated the Malaysian police would provide protection to any relatives of Mr Kim who come to Malaysia for DNA sampling.

North Korea on Thursday slammed the investigation into the death of one of its citizens in Kuala Lumpur, saying Malaysia's probe is full of "holes and contradictions".

The statement could be a sign of North Korea's concern over growing international speculation that Pyongyang dispatched a hit squad to kill Mr Kim.

The death of Mr Kim from apparent poisoning as he waited for a flight at the airport Feb. 13 has unleashed a diplomatic crisis that escalates by the day.

North Korea has tightened border security in an apparent attempt to stop news of Mr Kim's murder spreading.