In another news update, the North Korea recently announced that they will sever diplomatic ties with Malaysia. This comes after they handed over a Pyongyang national to the United States over charges of money laundry.
Malaysia’s Top Court Rejected Pyongyang National’s Plea
As per the reports, a Seoul-based new agency named Yonhap said that the Mun Chol-myong (Malaysia-based North Korean businessman) was accused of supplying some of the banned luxury items from Singapore to Pyongyang. He was accused of laundering funds through some of the shell companies in the violation of the UN Sanctions.
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Last week, Malaysia’s top court said that the businessman can be handed over to Washington against the charges and have a trial there. This was ruled after they had rejected his plea to challenge the extradition to the United States of America.
Foreign Ministry Calls Out Malaysia For “Unpardonable Crime”
In a report on Friday from the Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency reported that the Foreign Ministry had made the decision regarding their relations with Malaysia. They said that on March 17, 2021 the Malaysian authority had committed an “unpardonable crime”.
Foreign Ministry said that the crime led to the extradition of an innocent North Korean citizen to the US after being labelled as a “criminal”. In the light of the recent developments and the grave situation that has appeared in front of the country, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced a “total severance of the diplomatic relations with Malaysia”. This would also be committed to the hostile act under the US and obeying them unquestionably.
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North Korea further claimed that the businessman wasn’t engaged in anything illegal. They said that the businessman was into the legitimate external trade activities. The Ministry further warned that any consequences that shall happen between North Korea and Malaysia would be the sole responsibility of the latter.
The Ministry also warned that the US will also “pay a due price”. They accused the US for being a “backstage manipulator and main culprit of this incident”. In the statement, the ministry called their relationship with the US hostile.
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Ever since 1973, North Korea and Malaysia had maintained close relationships with each other. But the ties got a bit strained with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s half brother Kam Jong-nam died by poisoning at the Kuala Lumpur airport in 2017.
