Pyongyang loses a friend

– Malaysia, which until recently was one of Pyongyang’s closest friends, has halted all imports from North Korea as part of global efforts to cut off funding over its nuclear and missile programmes.

Malaysia did not buy any goods from North Korea in June and July, after buying many millions of dollars’ worth in the first five months of the year, according to state data.

Malaysia’s ties with North Korea have deteriorated since the February assassination of Kim Jong Un’s estranged half-brother at Kuala Lumpur international airport, which the United States and South Korea say was ordered by the North Korean leader.

Kuala Lumpur last month banned its citizens from travelling to North Korea, two weeks after Prime Minister Najib Razak met with US President Donald Trump at the White House. The visit gave Najib a political boost at home, with his popularity suffering over a massive scandal at a state investment fund, which the US Department of Justice is investigating.

Trump told reporters after meeting with Najib at the White House last month that Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak “does not do business with North Korea any longer, and we find that to be very important”.

Malaysia had been a key source of revenue for the North. Citizens from both countries enjoyed visa-free travel. Malaysia was host to hundreds of overseas workers. More importantly were operations that funnelled money to the regime. Reuters reported earlier this year that North Korea’s spy agency was running an arms operation out of Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia’s halt to North Korean imports came ahead of drastic UN and US sanctions last month that ramped up export bans and penalised companies and individuals doing business with North Korea.

The United Nations in September banned North Korean textile exports. – Reuters

Kuala Lumpur

Moscow

Russia has criticised the new tougher Iran strategy announced by US President Donald Trump yesterday, accusing him of using “aggressive and threatening rhetoric”.

The foreign ministry in a statement said Moscow “underlines once again it is unacceptable to

Malaysia does not do business with North Korea anymore.

Donald Trump US president