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Coal mining company driven to distraction by foreign journalists staking out at its mine looking for North Korean workers

KUCHING: The patience of Selantik Resources the company that operates a coal mine at Selantik has been stretched to limit by persistent enquiries by reporters from foreign media on North Korean workers employed at the mine.

The company’s spokesperson appealed to The Borneo Post yesterday to help put to an end the belief by some media organisations that there are still North Korean workers being employed by to work in the mine.

Selantik Resources was thrust into the limelight because it used to employ North Koreans workers but had ceased employing them after their work permits expired.

The company’s spokesperson said since mid February, reporters from South Korea and Japan had been visiting the coal mine trying to interview or take pictures of North Korean workers there.

“I say it again there are no more North Korean workers in our coal mine here. The last batch was sent home last October and after that, our company has decided not to engage any more North Koreans.”

“I ask that all media people, foreign or locals, not to come and look for North Koreans in our coal mine as there is none left,” said the exasperated company spokesperson.

The situation was compounded when Selantik Resources was among the companies mentioned by Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg and Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot at different

I ask that all media people, foreign or locals, not to come and look for North Koreans in our coal mine as there is none left. Selantik Resources spokesperson

occasions to be employing North Koreans last Tuesday.

That was the cue for the intrepid reporters from the foreign press to renew their pursuit for the North Korean workers and stake out at the coal mine in the hope of meeting some of the North Koreans there.

Their persistence despite clarifications by the company had raised the temperatures at the mine a few notches.

State Secretary Tan Sri Morshidi Abdul Ghani, when contacted, said as far as he knew, all work permits for Selantik Resources had expired and there should be no more North Korean workers at the coal mine.

“There should be no more North Koreans there. If there is, they are illegal. This applies to other companies who have engaged North Korean workers,” said Morshidi.

Bilateral ties between Malaysia and North Korean plummeted over the investigation of the murder of Kim Jong-nam, the estranged halfbrother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 on Feb 13.

The diplomatic row has resulted in North Korean’s decision to prevent Malaysian citizens from leaving the country and viceversa.