KUALA LUMPUR: The North Korean embassy in Bukit Damansara here is already making plans to close its operations, as soon as possible.
-Advertisement-
The embassy’s charge d’affaires Kim Yu Song confirmed to the New Straits Times that he was preparing for the shutdown, following advice from his superiors in Pyongyang.
“Yes, we will be shutting down. We are now discussing the plans with our staff here and liaising with our government,” he said, declining further comment pending further instructions from Pyongyang.
Asked if the embassy, located in Jalan Batai near the Royal Commonwealth Club would issue an official statement, Kim said he was contemplating one.
The NST also learned that Wisma Putra is preparing an official response soon.
Officially known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, North Korea’s state media KCNA reported earlier today that it would sever diplomatic relations with Malaysia after a Kuala Lumpur court ruled earlier this month for the extradition of one of its citizens – Mun Chol Myong – to the United States to face money-laundering charges.
The report stated that North Korea’s foreign affairs ministry had warned that Washington would pay a price for its actions.
Mun was arrested in 2019 after the United States accused him of laundering funds through front companies and issuing fraudulent documents to support illicit shipments to North Korea.
He fought the extradition request, arguing that it was politically motivated.
-Advertisement-
The North Korean foreign ministry called the extradition a “nefarious act and unpardonably heavy crime” by Malaysian authorities, who had “offered our citizen as a sacrifice of the U.S. hostile move in defiance of the acknowledged international laws”.
The report said Malaysia’s actions had destroyed “the entire foundation of the bilateral relations based on the respect for sovereignty”.
Malaysia and North Korea were previously embroiled in a diplomatic spat after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s estranged brother, Kim Jong Nam, died at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang in February 2017.
The incident happened when two women reportedly smeared his face with a VX nerve agent that was listed as a weapon of mass destruction by the United Nations.
Subsequently, Malaysia suspended operations at its embassy in Pyongyang after securing the safe return of nine citizens detained within its embassy compounds, in exchange for the release of Jong Nam’s body and the release of three of its Kuala Lumpur-based diplomats.
Diplomatic relations appeared to be warming up with a reassurance from the Pakatan Harapan federal government in 2018 but it failed to fully materialise.
Foreign reports alleged that North Korea had used Malaysia as a hub for its arms export operation, and setting up business entities for funneling money to North Korea’s leadership.
On Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the administration of President Joe Biden would complete a review of its North Korea policy in the next few weeks in close consultation with allies.- NST