Police ready to carry out PM's directive to bar North Koreans from leaving country

The police and other authorities are ready to heed the prime minister's order in barring all North Korean citizens from leaving the country.

"Yes, we will carry out the instructions of the PM (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak)," said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar when contacted by Bernama via WhatsApp here.

According to him, besides the Peninsular Malaysia, there are also North Koreans reportedly working in Sarawak.

Najib issued the directive from Jakarta in response to North Korea's Foreign Ministry which temporarily prohibited Malaysians in North Korea from leaving the country.

Yesterday, North Korean Ambassador Kang Chol who was declared 'Persona Non Grata' by the Malaysian Government, left the country after being given 48 hours to do so by the foreign ministry on Saturday.

Kang Chol reportedly made unfounded and baseless accusations against the Malaysian Goverment relating to investigations into the murder of North Korean Kim Chol, widely believed to be Kim Jong-nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, on Feb 13.

Jong-nam was killed at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (klia 2) when he was about to leave for Macau.

Previously, the Malaysian Government had announced that North Koreans were required to obtain a visa to enter the country, effective March 6. -- Bernama