North Koreans told to leave in tit-for-tat

PETALING JAYA: Wisma Putra has ordered all diplomatic staff and their dependents at the Embassy of North Korea in Kuala Lumpur to leave the country within 48 hours.

Wisma Putra said Malaysia was compelled to close its embassy in Pyongyang, where operations have been suspended since 2017, following North Korean decision to sever ties.

Wisma Putra expressed regret over North Korea’s decision calling it “unfriendly, unconstructive, and disrespectful of mutual respect and good neighbourly relations.”

North Korea had been annoyed after a Malaysian court ruled that a North Korean man could be extradited to the United States to face money-laundering charges.

In early March, the Federal Court ruled that North Korean national Mun Chol-myong, could be extradited.

Mun had lived in Malaysia for a decade and was arrested in May 2019 after US authorities requested his extradition. The Malaysian government approved the request, but Mun challenged the bid.

Wisma Putra said Malaysia had considered North Korea as a close partner since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1973.

“Malaysia was among the earliest to have done so, and continued to support North Korea during their difficult times. Malaysia had been persistent in pursuing concrete efforts to strengthen our relations with them even after the deplorable assassination of Kim Jong-nam in 2017,” it said.

It said the decision to cut ties announced was clearly unwarranted and disruptive in promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

Wisma Putra added that the Malaysian government upholds the principles of justice, rule of law and independence of judiciary, and due to that had ensured that the Mun’s extradition was conducted in accordance with those principles.

“On the same premise, the Malaysian government had to put aside a series of North Korean demarches for the Malaysian executive to intervene in our judiciary and legal system.”

The extradition, it said, was only carried out after due legal process had been exhausted, adding that Mun’s rights while in custody here were also guaranteed and fulfilled, including his access to his defence counsel, as well as to consular assistance and visits by his family.

Wisma Putra said Mun was detained by the Malaysian authorities on May 14, 2019 under Section 13 (1) (b) of the Extradition Act 1992 following allegations of conspiracy to launder money, as well as violating United Nations sanctions.

The statement said such acts are also offences under Malaysian law. Mun appeared before a sessions court on Dec 13, 2019 where it allowed a committal against him.

His application for a writ of habeas corpus at the High Court of Kuala Lumpur and his appeal at the Federal Court on Oct 8, 2020 were dismissed after being held as unjustified and failing to meet the requirements under the Extradition Act, added the statement.