DPRK declares Malaysian ambassador "persona non grata"
Source: Xinhua   2017-03-06 22:02:39

PYONGYANG, March 6 (Xinhua) -- The foreign ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) announced Monday that Malaysia's ambassador is labeled as a persona non grata, demanding the diplomat leave the country within 48 hours from 10:00 a.m. local time (0130 GMT) on Sunday.

The foreign ministry announced without elaboration the decision in a brief statement carried by the official news agency KCNA.

The decision came after Malaysia declared the ambassador of the DPRK to the country Kang Chol as a "persona non grata" on Saturday night and asked him to leave Malaysia within 48 hours, amid a row over investigation into the death of a DPRK male.

Kang and the DPRK government accused the Malaysian side several times of "colluding with hostile forces" in its investigation into the death of the DPRK man on Feb. 13 in Kuala Lumpur, and refused to trust the probe.

A DPRK national, identified as Kim Chol, was attacked on Feb. 13 at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 2. After seeking help from the airport staff, he died en route to hospital.

The Malaysian side said the DPRK man died a painful death minutes after being swabbed with a high dosage of lethal VX nerve agent after the body was examined.

However, Pyongyang claimed it was an anti-DPRK smear campaign and accused the Malaysian government of conniving with South Korea and the United States that intended to use the death of the DPRK citizen to tarnish its image and even to overthrow the DPRK system.

Pyongyang also sent a high-level delegation to Malaysia to discuss the matter and has urged Malaysia to return the body as soon as possible. But the request was rejected by the Malaysian government.

Ri Tong Il, spokesman for the DPRK delegation to Malaysia, said the DPRK man had a history of heart decease, had received treatment from time to time and normally could not travel without medicine.

Ri also raised the doubts on how the man died on the spot while the two suspects survived the highly toxic VX nerve agent.

Meanwhile, Malaysia has decided to revoke visa-free entry for citizens from the DPRK starting from Monday, saying that the decision was made after taking into account national security as a priority.

Editor: Zhang Dongmiao
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DPRK declares Malaysian ambassador "persona non grata"

Source: Xinhua 2017-03-06 22:02:39
[Editor: huaxia]

PYONGYANG, March 6 (Xinhua) -- The foreign ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) announced Monday that Malaysia's ambassador is labeled as a persona non grata, demanding the diplomat leave the country within 48 hours from 10:00 a.m. local time (0130 GMT) on Sunday.

The foreign ministry announced without elaboration the decision in a brief statement carried by the official news agency KCNA.

The decision came after Malaysia declared the ambassador of the DPRK to the country Kang Chol as a "persona non grata" on Saturday night and asked him to leave Malaysia within 48 hours, amid a row over investigation into the death of a DPRK male.

Kang and the DPRK government accused the Malaysian side several times of "colluding with hostile forces" in its investigation into the death of the DPRK man on Feb. 13 in Kuala Lumpur, and refused to trust the probe.

A DPRK national, identified as Kim Chol, was attacked on Feb. 13 at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 2. After seeking help from the airport staff, he died en route to hospital.

The Malaysian side said the DPRK man died a painful death minutes after being swabbed with a high dosage of lethal VX nerve agent after the body was examined.

However, Pyongyang claimed it was an anti-DPRK smear campaign and accused the Malaysian government of conniving with South Korea and the United States that intended to use the death of the DPRK citizen to tarnish its image and even to overthrow the DPRK system.

Pyongyang also sent a high-level delegation to Malaysia to discuss the matter and has urged Malaysia to return the body as soon as possible. But the request was rejected by the Malaysian government.

Ri Tong Il, spokesman for the DPRK delegation to Malaysia, said the DPRK man had a history of heart decease, had received treatment from time to time and normally could not travel without medicine.

Ri also raised the doubts on how the man died on the spot while the two suspects survived the highly toxic VX nerve agent.

Meanwhile, Malaysia has decided to revoke visa-free entry for citizens from the DPRK starting from Monday, saying that the decision was made after taking into account national security as a priority.

[Editor: huaxia]
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