From leaving

> Staff to be identified before ban is lifted

KUALA LUMPUR: The barricading of the North Korean embassy by police is to physically identify all those dwelling inside, said Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed.

He said that staff will not be allowed to leave the embassy “until we are satisfied with their numbers and why they are here”.

Nur Jazlan, who was speaking to reporters outside the embassy here yesterday, said the situation between North Korea and Malaysia is fluid and dangerous.

“We have responded to their actions but we have also done this for the safety of North Koreans in there (embassy) as well because we don’t want anything to happen to another North Korean in Malaysia which will put more blame on us,” he said.

He added that the best move for now was to block them from leaving the embassy till a physical identification process can be done.

“We have done this temporarily, at least until we have done a physical identification of all those inside,” he said.

Earlier, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said there are two North Koreans hiding in the embassy who are wanted for questioning in connection with the murder of Kim Jong-Nam on Feb 13.

When Nur Jazlan was asked about it, he replied: “That is their sovereign ground but out here is ours. We will wait for them to come out.”