North Korea has decided not to allow Malaysians staying in the North to leave the country temporarily, Pyongyang's state media said Tuesday, amid a diplomatic spat between the two countries over the death of the half brother of the North's ruler.
North Korea's foreign ministry notified the Malaysian Embassy in Pyongyang that it will not permit Malaysians staying in North Korea to leave the country until the safety of North Korean diplomats and citizens in Malaysia is "fully guaranteed through the fair settlement of the case that occurred in Malaysia," the Korean Central News Agency said.
It said that Malaysians in the North will be able to live normally under the same conditions as they did before, despite Pyongyang's interim ban.
North Korea is seen as effectively taking the Malaysians hostage amid deepening diplomatic tension between the North and Malaysia over the death of Kim Jong-nam.
North Korean Ambassador to Malaysia Kang Chol arrives in Beijing on March 7, 2017, after being expelled from the Southeast Asian nation one day earlier. (AFP-Yonhap)
Kim was killed last month at an airport in Malaysia after the two Asian female suspects smeared the banned chemical weapon VX nerve agent on his face.
Malaysian police said that eight North Koreans are suspected of being involved in the death, along with two Asian women. North Korea claimed that Malaysia colluded with South Korea over its probe into the case.
In a tit-for-tat response to North Korea's exit ban, Malaysia said that North Korean Embassy staff are barred from leaving the country, according to AFP.
"No official or employee of the DPRK (North Korea) Embassy is allowed to leave the country," AFP reported, citing a statement by the home ministry.
Hyon Kwang-song, the second secretary of the North Korean Embassy in Malaysia, is among the eight North Korean suspects wanted for questioning.
Malaysia's Cabinet is likely to discuss whether to close the North Korean Embassy in Kuala Lumpur at its meeting slated for Friday, Japan's Kyodo News reported, citing the local news outlet China Press.
The move came after the Malaysian government expelled the North Korean ambassador Monday following the murder of the estranged half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Malaysia canceled its visa-waiver program with North Korea last week and kicked out North Korean Ambassador to Malaysia Kang Chol in reaction to North Korea's "diplomatically rude" remarks.
In response, North Korea said Monday that it decided to kick out Malaysia's top envoy to Pyongyang. Malaysia already summoned its ambassador to Malaysia last month.
There is speculation that Malaysia may consider cutting off its diplomatic ties with North Korea, which were established more than 40 years ago. (Yonhap)