Malaysia expels all N.Korean diplomats after ties cut

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Kuala Lumpur, March 22 (IANS) Malaysia has expelled all diplomats of the North Korean Embassy here in response to the latter's decision to sever diplomatic ties after Kuala Lumpur extradited a Pyongyang national to the US over money laundering charges.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said: "Malaysia has today expelled all diplomats of the Embassy of North Korea in Kuala Lumpur in keeping with the decision for all diplomatic staff and their dependents to leave within 48 hours.

"The expulsion has been carried out in conformity with Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961. The government of Malaysia took this action in response to North Korea's unilateral and utterly irresponsible decision to sever diplomatic ties with Malaysia.

"This action is a reminder that Malaysia shall never tolerate any attempt to meddle in our internal affairs and judiciary, disrespect our governance system, and constantly create unnecessary tensions in defiance of the rules-based international order."

Vehicles carrying the North Korean diplomatic staff and their families were seen leaving their embassy in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday morning and headed to the airport, reports Xinhua news agency.

Before leaving the embassy, Charge d'Affairs Kim Yu Song told the media that by extraditing a North Korean citizen to the US, the Malaysian authority had destroyed the entire foundation of bilateral relations.

Mun Chol-myong, the Malaysia-based North Korean businessman, was accused of supplying prohibited luxury items from Singapore to Pyongyang and laundering funds through shell companies in violation of UN sanctions.

Last week, Malaysia's top court ruled that he can be extradited to Washington, rejecting his appeal challenging the extradition request from the US.

He was detained in May 2019.

In a report on March 19, Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said: "On March 17, the Malaysian authority committed an unpardonable crime, in the end, of forcibly delivering the innocent citizen of the North Korea to the US by having charged him with 'criminal'.

"With regard to the grave situation that has prevailed, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hereby announces total severance of the diplomatic relations with Malaysia which committed a super-large hostile act in subservience to the US pressure."

Malaysia's Foreign Ministry stressed that the extradition of the North Korean national was conducted in accordance with the principles of justice, rule of law and independence of judiciary.

--IANS

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