Malaysia 17 for the extradition of North Korean citizens suspected of illegal money laundering to the United States for trial, resulting in Pyongyang authorities on the 19th angrily announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Malaysia, ending 48 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The North Korean embassy in Malaysia left the country at noon on the 21st, and the embassy’s flag was taken down, but smoke was found inside the embassy on the afternoon of the 20th, and Malaysian media speculated that some “confidential documents” were being burned.
Local media reports also mentioned that the North Korean embassy staff in Malaysia took down the signboard of the iron fence, the North Korean emblem on the gate of the building and the national flag outside the gate, while many local police and soldiers in Malaysia were on guard outside the embassy on the 21st, and 8 cars drove into the embassy, and then a number of medical personnel were seen entering, which the media speculated was for the Chinese Communist virus (COVID-19). PCR nucleic acid screening before leaving the country, the personnel of the North Korean Embassy in Malaysia have also left on a plane at noon today.
This week, Malaysia extradited North Korean citizen Mun Chol Myong to the United States to stand trial on charges of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering, and the North Korean authorities were outraged, not only announcing the severance of diplomatic relations with Malaysia, but also requiring all North Korean personnel in Malaysia to leave the country within 48 hours, and requiring Malaysia to evacuate its embassy staff in North Korea.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has accused Moon of being the leader of a criminal group that is believed to have supplied embargoed Luxury goods to North Korea and laundered money through the company in violation of U.S. laws that sanction North Korea. Moon faces four counts of money laundering and two counts of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The North Korean Foreign Ministry countered the charges by saying that the money laundering allegations are “absurd fabrications” and “an outright conspiracy.
It is understood that North Korea has long used Malaysia as a hub for its foreign economic activities, conducting foreign trade and labor export through Malaysia, as well as conducting some underground business activities in Southeast Asian countries.
Experts believe that North Korea’s tough attitude on the extradition issue is because Pyongyang believes that the “extradition” move is aimed at pressuring the U.S. to do so.
Nam Sung-wook, a professor at Koryo University in South Korea, said, “North Korea is taking a tough line because it believes that it must not give in on the extradition issue, otherwise it will be in a psychological war with the Biden administration for the next four years.”
Nam Sung-wook also added that the authorities in Pyongyang are actually worried this Time because if decisive measures are not taken this time, similar incidents are likely to happen one after another in other countries in Southeast Asia.
Hong Min, another senior analyst at the Korea Unification Institute, noted that the threat to cut off diplomatic relations to Malaysia is the strongest way for North Korea to express its anger and protest against the Biden Administration without affecting the eventual resumption of nuclear talks with the United States.
Since the breakdown of the second Trump-Kim talks in 2019, North Korea has maintained its stance of not negotiating with Washington unless the U.S. is willing to lift sanctions on North Korea.
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