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Malaysia calls on North Korea to release its citizens
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An embassy staff member asks police if he is allowed to leave from behind a cordon at the North Korean Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Tuesday. A bitter diplomatic dispute between North Korea and Malaysia over the fatal poisoning of leader Kim Jong-un's estranged half-brother has escalated dramatically, with Pyongyang saying it had banned Malaysians from leaving North Korea. That was followed by Malaysia saying North Korean Embassy staff were barred from leaving its country. Malaysia previously expelled the North Korean ambassador on Monday. (Associated Press/Vincent Thian)
M
alaysia has called on North Korea to release all Malaysians currently prohibited from leaving the East Asian country amid escalating tension over the murder of the North Korean leader’s half-brother.
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has condemned Pyongyang’s decision to prevent Malaysian citizens from leaving the country in the strongest possible terms. He regarded North Korea’s action as holding the citizens hostage and as disregarding international law.
According to the North Korean foreign affairs ministry, Malaysian diplomats and other citizens were prohibited from leaving the country after the murder case was solved but were still allowed to carry out “normal activities.”
“Our hope is for a swift resolution. I call upon the North Korean leadership to immediately allow our citizens to leave to avoid any further escalation,” Najib said in a statement on Tuesday.
Najib was quick to respond by summoning an emergency meeting of the National Security Council, during which he issued an instruction to ban North Korean embassy staff members from leaving Malaysia.
“I instructed the inspector general of police to prevent all North Korean citizens in Malaysia from leaving the country until we are assured of the safety and security of all Malaysians in North Korea,” he said.
Kuala Lumpur recently expelled its North Korean ambassador. (ipa)
