The nephew of Kim Jong-un has been taken into protective custody by the CIA, reports have claimed.
Kim Han-sol is the son of the dictator’s half brother Kim Jong-nam who was assassinated on the orders of the North Korean leader in 2017.
The 25-year-old, who has been exiled from the country, is in hiding after surrendering to US intelligence services, according to the New Yorker.
Kim Han-sol, the nephew of Kim Jong-un ,has reportedly been taken into protective custody by the CIA
Kim Han-sol is the son of the dictator’s half brother Kim Jong-nam (pictured) who was assassinated on the orders of the North Korean leader in 2017
Kim Han-sol is reportedly in hiding after fearing for his life following Kim Jong-un (pictured) allegedly ordering the nerve agent attack against Kim Jong-nam
Dissident group Free Joseon have helped Kim’s nephew escape North Korea since his father was killed by a nerve agent attack.
Kim Han-sol is said to live a life of extreme luxury and is often seen wearing designer clothes.
Adrian Hong, head of Free Joseon, said he had ‘never met a kid with so much money’, saying he carries ‘wads of cash’ and wears Gucci shoes.
Kim Han-sol is said to have used this money to escape the country after his father’s death.
He was taken from his home in Macau, a Chinese territory, with the help of Free Joseon, Mr Hong claimed.
Kim Han-sol was introduced to the dissident group in 2013 after it started exposing human rights abuses in North Korea, according to Mr Hong.
The dictator’s nephew then called Mr Hong after he realised police who were guarding his house had disappeared.
Han-sol, pictured at college, is said to have used his family money to escape North Korea after his father’s death
He said he needed to ‘get out of Macau as soon as possible’ after he started fearing for his life.
The 25-year-old then met group members in Tapei in Taiwan just two days after his father’s assassination.
He boarded a plane to Amsterdam to seek asylum, it is claimed, but he never arrived at his destination.
It has been claimed a pair of CIA agents tried to intercept him in Tapei and he was taken into protective custody where he remains hidden.
Kim Jong-nam (pictured after the attack) died after the banned VX nerve agent was found on his face and in his eyes, blood, urine, clothing and bag
CCTV footage showing the deadly assault on Kim Jong Nam at the Kuala Lumpur airport in 2017
The last time Han-sol was seen was in a video released by Free Joseon the week after his father’s death.
In the clip, he said: ‘My name is Kim Han-sol, from North Korea, part of the Kim family. Here’s my passport.
‘My father has been killed a few days ago. I’m currently with my mother and my sister.’
Kim Jong-nam died after the banned VX nerve agent was found on his face and in his eyes, blood, urine, clothing and bag.
Doan Thi Huong (left) and Siti Aisyah (right) were charged with poisoning Kim Jong Nam by smearing his face with liquid VX
He had been waiting for a flight to Macau at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia on February 13 when two women ran up to him from behind and appeared to spray an unidentified liquid on him.
Following his death, Doan Thi Huong, from Vietnam and Siti Aisyah, from Indonesia were arrested based on CCTV footage.
South Korean and US officials have said the North Korean regime had ordered the assassination of Kim Jong Nam, who had been critical of his family’s dynastic rule. Pyongyang has denied the allegation.
Defence lawyers argued the women were pawns in an assassination orchestrated by North Korean agents. The women said they thought they were part of a reality prank show and did not know they were poisoning Kim.
They were initially charged with murder but Malaysian officials dropped charges against Aisyah and Huong pleaded guilty to a lesser charge.