The Netherlands' Embassy in South Korea declined to comment Thursday on its alleged involvement in helping the son of the slain half brother of the North Korean leader escape from the North's threat.
Kim Han-sol, the 22-year-old son of Kim Jong-nam, appeared in a recently posted YouTube clip in which he said he is with his sister and mother but didn't mention where.
This image captured from a video posted on YouTube on March 8, 2017 shows a man believed to be the son of Kim Jong-nam, the murdered half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. (Yonhap)
The organization that uploaded the video, however, expressed gratitude to the Netherlands, China, the United States and an unidentified country for providing emergency assistance in protecting Kim's family.
In particular, it gave special thanks to Ambassador A.J.A. Embrechts, the Netherlands' top envoy to Seoul who also serves as the country's ambassador to North Korea, for help.
An official at the Netherlands' Embassy in Seoul declined to comment on questions seeking confirmation, saying that it is the country's official response. But the official said that the Netherlands' foreign ministry is aware of related media reports on the YouTube video.
Kim Jong-nam, the estranged brother of the North leader Kim Jong-un, was killed on Feb. 13 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport after two Asian women allegedly smeared the banned chemical weapon VX nerve agent on his face.
The North is suspected of being behind his murder, though Pyongyang denies any involvement.
After Kim's death, the whereabouts of his family members have not been known amid speculation that they may be staying somewhere in Macau under China's protection. (Yonhap)
