Developments on North Korea-Malaysia match to be known tomorrow

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) said developments of the 2019 Asian Cup qualifier between North Korea and Malaysia in Pyongyang on March 28 will be announced tomorrow.

"There are new developments, we will issue a press statement on the match tomorrow, this is all I can say for now," said FAM secretary-general Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin when contacted by Bernama today.

Hamidin had discussed with Asian Football Confederation (AFC) secretary-general Datuk Windsor Paul about the possibility of playing at a neutral ground if there was a security threat to the Malaysian squad.

Diplomatic relations between Malaysia and North Korea became strained after the murder of Kim Jong-nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong-un, at KL Intenational Airport 2 (klia2) on Feb 13.

Jong Nam was in KLIA 2 on Feb 13 to catch a flight to Macau when two women suddenly appeared and allegedly wiped his face with their palms coated with materials found to be the nerve agent VX.

He was rushed to Putrajaya Hospital but died on arrival.

Jong Nam used a passport in the name of Kim Chol while in Malaysia.

Siti Aisyah, 25, an Indonesian, and Doan Thi Huong,28, a Vietnamese, had been charged with Kim Chol's murder.

The two foreign women were charged in Sepang Sessions Court on March 1.

Yesterday, the Malaysian government declared North Korean ambassador Kang Chol as 'persona non grata' (person not appreciated) and given 48 hours to leave the country. --BERNAMA