North Korean Embassy Officials, Staff Prohibited From Leaving Malaysia - DPM

KUALA LUMPUR, March 7 (Bernama) -- Malaysia prohibits any officials and staff at the North Korean embassy here from leaving the country in a directive that takes effect immediately. Deputy Prime Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the measure was taken in response to the directive from North Korea's Foreign Ministry which banned Malaysians residing in North Korea from leaving that country. "The Home Ministry through the Immigration Department has issued the directive with immediate effect that no officers or staff in the North Korean embassy are allowed to leave from all the country's exit points. "We don't intend to have any retaliation but this must be done when a country that has diplomatic relations with Malaysia takes action outside the diplomatic etiquettes and convention," he told reporters at Parliament lobby here Tuesday. He said Malaysia had to take similar action because they (North Korea) had manipulated the murder case which occurred at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (klia 2). According to Ahmad Zahid, the people of that country, including tourists were not subjected to the directive. "The people of North Korea, there is no problem but (prohibition is for) officials and staff who are at the North Korean embassy. We allow ordinary citizens," he said. He said his ministry was also in the process of obtaining information from the Foreign Ministry on the number of Malaysians currently in North Korea. Malaysia, he said would take action based on the Geneva Convention as a measure to get Malaysian nationals still in that country. "They cannot direct our citizen not to leave. We will take several actions based on the Geneva convention that jointly signed as countries with diplomatic ties," he said. International media agencies reported that North Korea had prohibited Malaysians residing in that country from leaving the country, in a measure to ensure the safety of North Korean diplomatic staff and nationals in Malaysia following the murder of the elder half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un recently. Ahmad Zahid said Malaysia wanted to send a clear message to North Korea not to undermine Malaysia as a sovereign state. "They have manipuated what is called the murder case in klia2. Malaysia has conducted all the investigations based on professionalism. Royal Malaysia Police, Chemistry Department, Health Department and other agencies,' he said. He said the government did not intend to being the matter to the United Nations and would use the Geneva Convention as a channel to address it. Prime Minster Najib Tun Razak was also expected to bring up the matter at the Cabinet meeting on Friday. Ahmad Zahid also hoped Malaysians currently in North Korea would not face any threats. "We leave it to the Foreign Minister to see to their welfare," he said. "We hope there is no threat but our football team have taken the decision not to play in Pyongyang for the AFC competition against that country," he said, adding that the Youth and Sports Ministry through FAM had chosen a suitable location to have the match later. Prior to this, Malaysia took action to expel the North Korean Ambassador Kang Chol and the envoy left the country yesterday afternoon. Kang Chol was reported to have made baseless accusations against Kuala Lumpur in connection with the murder case of North Korean citizen Kim Chol, widely reported to be Kim Jong-nam, on Feb 13. On Saturday, Foreign Minister Anifah Aman declared Kang Chol as 'Persona Non Grata' and gave him 48 hours to leave Malaysia. Previously the Malaysian government announced that North Korea nationals needed to apply for a visa to enter the country effective March 6. Kim Jong-nam was reported killed at klia2 before he was to depart by flight to Macau. -- BERNAMA