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Kim Jong-nam death: Malaysians 'banned from leaving North Korea' Kim Jong-nam death: Malaysia and N Korea in tit-for-tax exit bans
(35 minutes later)
North Korea has banned Malaysians inside its country from leaving, in a growing diplomatic row over the killing of Kim Jong-nam. North Korea and Malaysia have banned each other's citizens from leaving their countries, in a growing row over the killing of Kim Jong-nam.
In response, Malaysia has banned North Korean embassy officials from leaving, saying it "needs to be done". The extraordinary tit-for-tat actions come amid North Korean fury at Malaysia's ongoing investigation into his death at a Kuala Lumpur airport.
The tit-for-tat actions come amid North Korean fury at Malaysia's investigation into Mr Kim's death. The North Korean leader's half-brother was killed with a potent nerve agent.
Mr Kim, the estranged half-brother of North Korea's leader, was killed in Malaysia last month. Malaysia has not directly blamed the North for this, but there is widespread suspicion Pyongyang was responsible.
While Malaysia has not directly blamed the North Korean government for the attack, there is widespread suspicion Pyongyang was responsible. North Korea has fiercely denied any accusations of culpability and the row over the killing - and who has the right to claim Mr Kim's body - has rapidly escalated over the past two weeks.
North Korea has fiercely denied this and has accused Malaysia of mishandling the investigation and colluding with its enemies. Both Malaysia and North Korea have already expelled each other's ambassadors.
The row over the killing - and over who has the right to claim Mr Kim's body from the mortuary where it is being held - has rapidly escalated over the past two weeks. What was North Korea's announcement?
Both Malaysia and North Korea have already expelled each other's ambassadors, when on Tuesday North Korea announced it was temporarily banning any Malaysians currently in its country from leaving, citing security reasons. The state news agency KCNA said on Tuesday that "all Malaysian nationals in the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] will be temporarily prohibited from leaving the country until the incident that happened in Malaysia is properly solved".
The state news agency KCNA said the ban would stay in place "until the incident that happened in Malaysia is properly solved", but that Malaysians in the country would be able to carry on their lives as normal. It said this was to ensure the safety of it citizens and diplomats in Malaysia.
Hours later, Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi responded by saying North Korean embassy staff and officials would not be allowed to leave. Malaysians in North Korea country would be able to carry on their lives as normal, it added.
"We don't mean to do this, but it needs to be done," the Malaysia Star quoted him as saying. How did Malaysia respond?
"We need to take similar steps as they have manipulated the murder." Furiously. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said it was an "abhorrent act" which was "in total disregard of all international law and diplomatic norms".
It was not immediately clear how many people would be affected by each of the bans. Malaysians were effectively being held hostage in North Korea, he said in a statement.
A post-mortem examination on Mr Kim's body found he was killed by a dose of VX nerve agent the most potent of all known chemical weapons, as he waited to board a flight to Macau on 13 February. "Protecting our citizens is my first priority, and we will not hesitate to take all measures necessary when they are threatened."
So far, only two people - an Indonesian woman and a Vietnamese woman - have been charged with murder. Initially, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad and Home Minister Zahid Hamidi had said that in response, North Korean embassy staff and officials would not be allowed to leave.
A detained North Korean was released last week because of lack of evidence, but Malaysia is seeking a number of other North Koreans. "We need to take similar steps as they have manipulated the murder," he was quoted as saying.
But Mr Najib later said the ban would extend to all North Koreans.
How many people does this affect?
Malaysian officials have said there are believed to be 11 Malaysian citizens currently in North Korea, mostly diplomats.
The number of North Koreans in Malaysia is unclear, but as well as its diplomatic corps it is known to send citizens there to work as labourers.
Until last week, North Koreans did not need a visa to enter the country.
Is this legal?
Such actions are highly unusual. Under Article 13 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights, "everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country".
Malaysia has signed that declaration, but North Korea has not.
The ban also breaks the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which both countries have ratified.
Where has the investigation into Kim's death got to?
A post-mortem examination on Mr Kim's body found he was killed by a dose of VX nerve agent, a substance classified as a weapon of mass destruction, as he waited to board a flight to Macau on 13 February.
So far, only two people - an Indonesian woman and a Vietnamese woman - have been charged with murder. They have said they thought they were taking part in a TV prank.
A detained North Korean was released last week because of lack of evidence, but Malaysia is seeking a number of other North Koreans, including a diplomat.
On Tuesday, Malaysia's police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said he believed two of those suspects were hiding inside the North Korean embassy compound in Kuala Lumpur.On Tuesday, Malaysia's police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said he believed two of those suspects were hiding inside the North Korean embassy compound in Kuala Lumpur.
"We will wait and if it takes five years we will wait outside, definitely somebody will come out," he told reporters on Tuesday. "We will wait and if it takes five years we will wait outside, definitely somebody will come out," he told reporters.
Pyongyang has not yet confirmed that the body is that of Kim Jong-nam, acknowledging him only as a North Korean citizen. Mr Kim was travelling using a passport under a different name. Armed police have been deployed outside the embassy, cordoning it off, Malaysian media reported.