Only 315 North Koreans left in Malaysia: Minister

kuala lumpur — Malaysia’s deputy prime minister said on Sunday that 315 North Koreans are in the country and barred from leaving amid a diplomatic dispute over the killing of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s estranged half brother.

The figure is lower than an estimate previously given by a government official, who had told The Associated Press that some 1,000 North Koreans were believed to be in Malaysia.

Malaysia says Kim Jong Nam died after two women smeared his face with the banned VX nerve agent at Kuala Lumpur’s airport on February 13, but North Korea rejects the findings.

Relations have steadily deteriorated, with each country expelling the other’s ambassador. On Tuesday, North Korea blocked all Malaysians from leaving the country until a “fair settlement” of the case was reached. Malaysia then barred North Koreans from exiting its soil. Both countries have also scrapped visa-free travel for each other’s citizens. Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told local media on Sunday that 2,453 North Koreans came to Malaysia from 2014 to 2017, but that the latest record showed only 315 remained.

Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said the government hopes to begin formal talks with North Korea in the “next few days” on the release of the nine Malaysians who are in Pyongyang, comprising three embassy workers and their family members.

Anifah also said the return of Kim’s body would be part of the talks’ agenda.

North Korea has demanded the body back from Day One and objected to Malaysia’s autopsy. Pyongyang also has refused to acknowledge that Kim Jong Nam was the victim and has referred to him as Kim Chol, the name on the passport Kim was carrying when he was attacked. —