Add Category
Updated
Malaysia has expelled the North Korean ambassador to the country, asking him to leave within 48 hours and declaring him "persona non grata" after he said Malaysia's investigation into the murder of Kim Jong-nam could not be trusted.
- Kang Chol failed to apologise for negative comments made about Malaysia's handling of the case
- The order gives him 48 hours to leave Malaysia
- Former suspect Ri Jong-chol said Malaysian police threatened to kill his family
The move came nearly three weeks after the estranged half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was murdered at Kuala Lumpur's airport with a toxic nerve agent.
US and South Korean officials have said he was killed by agents of the North Korean regime.
Kang Chol, North Korea's ambassador to Malaysia, said last month his country "cannot trust" Malaysia's handling of the probe, and also accused the country of "colluding with outside forces" in a veiled reference to bitter rival South Korea.
Malaysia's Foreign Minister Anifah Haji Aman said in a statement on Saturday that Malaysia had demanded an apology from the ambassador for his comments, but none was forthcoming.
"Malaysia will react strongly against any insults made against it or any attempt to tarnish its reputation," Mr Anifah said.
Mr Kang's expulsion came just days after Malaysia said it would scrap visa-free entry for North Koreans and expressed concern over the use of the nerve agent.
Mr Anifah said this was an "indication of the Government's concern that Malaysia may have been used for illegal activities".
Earlier on Saturday, a North Korean chemist deported from Malaysia accused police of threatening to kill his family — who were staying with him in Kuala Lumpur — unless he confessed to killing Kim.
Ri Jong-chol, who was released after police said there was insufficient evidence to charge him, spoke to reporters in Beijing while on his way to Pyongyang.
Mr Ri said he was not at the airport the day Kim was killed but police accused him of being a mastermind and presented him with fake evidence.
"These men kept telling me to admit to the crime, and if not, my whole family would be killed, and you too won't be safe. If you accept everything, you can live a good life in Malaysia," Mr Ri said.
"This is when I realised that it was a trap … they were plotting to tarnish my country's reputation."
Mr Ri was detained four days after the attack, but police never said what they believed his role was.
Indonesian woman Siti Aisyah and Vietnamese woman Doan Thi Huong have been charged with murder, although both reportedly say they were duped into thinking they were playing a harmless prank.
National police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said he would hold a news conference on Tuesday to respond to Mr Ri's comments.
Malaysia is looking for seven other North Korean suspects, four of whom are believed to have left the country on the day of the killing.
Three others, including an official at the North Korean embassy and an employee of Air Koryo, North Korea's national carrier, are believed to still be in Malaysia.
Reuters
Topics: world-politics, malaysia, korea-democratic-people-s-republic-of
First posted