Malaysia-North Korea row escalates over Kim Jong-nam

Risingbd Desk: Malaysia has summoned the North Korean ambassador over his accusation that it was conspiring with "hostile forces" as it investigates the murder of leader Kim Jong-un's half-brother.

Malaysia also recalled its envoy to Pyongyang after a spat erupted when North Korean demands to hand over the body of Kim Jong-nam were rejected.

"The ministry emphasised that as the death occurred on Malaysian soil under mysterious circumstances, it is the responsibility of the Malaysian government to conduct an investigation to identify the cause of death," a foreign ministry statement said after a meeting with the North Korean ambassador.

Ambassador Kang Chol last week accused Malaysia of colluding with "hostile forces" to damage the North, after rival South Korea said Pyongyang had orchestrated the airport attack.

Malaysia views the complaint as "baseless", the foreign ministry statement said.

"The Malaysian government takes very seriously any unfounded attempt to tarnish its reputation," it said. "The Malaysian ambassador in Pyongyang has been recalled to Kuala Lumpur for consultations."

CCTV footage purportedly showing the deadly assault in Malaysia on Kim Jong-nam by a woman - who is believed to have wiped a fast-acting poison on his face - was released on Monday.

Kim Jong-nam died last Monday a short time after the attack in the departure hall of Kuala Lumpur International Airport, where he had been preparing to take a flight to Macau.

Malaysian police have detained four suspects - a Vietnamese woman, an Indonesian woman, a Malaysian man, and North Korean man - and are on the hunt for four other North Koreans who fled the country on the day of the attack.




risingbd/Feb 20, 2017/Mukul