BON ‘ENVOY-AGE!’

Malaysia ousts N. Korea ambassador

Malaysia sent North Korea’s ambassador packing Saturday over his complaints about its probe into the murder of the hermit state dictator’s half-brother.

Ambassador Kang Chol was declared “persona non grata” and given 48 hours to leave the country, one of only a handful with which North Korea has full relations.

Kang declined to apologize for his accusations over Malaysia’s inquiry into Kim Jong-nam’s (inset) Feb. 13 murder at the Kuala Lumpur airport.

Kang called the probe a “smear campaign” and said Malaysian police can’t be trusted to fairly probe the killing. He also labeled the autopsy of Kim, 45, “illegal and immoral.”

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak called the ambassador’s statements “totally uncalled for [and] diplomatically rude.”

Kang also accused Malaysia of police brutality against a North Korean chemist suspected in Kim’s death, claiming cops pointed guns at his family members and beat his teenage son in the face.

The suspect, Ri Jong-chol, was released and deported Friday due to a lack of evidence.

Ri’s release came days after two women — one Vietnamese, one In- donesian — were charged with Kim’s murder. Airport security footage showed the women apparently smearing Kim’s face with cloths — but both suspects reportedly claim they were duped into thinking the assassination was actually a harmless prank.

Police say Kim died less than 20 minutes later. The autopsy revealed traces of VX nerve agent, a banned weapon of mass destruction. North Korea is widely believed to possess VX and other chemical weapons.

North Korea rejects the finding that VX killed Kim, stating he probably died of a heart attack.

Kang’s expulsion order came after North Korean Embassy officials failed to turn up for a meeting Saturday with Malaysian leaders.

“Malaysia will react strongly against any insults made against it or any attempt to tarnish its reputation,” Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said.