Malaysia Forces Out North Korean Ambassador<br />By RICHARD C. PADDOCKMARCH 4, 2017<br />BANGKOK — The government of Malaysia declared North Korea’s ambassador "persona non grata" on Saturday<br />and gave him 48 hours to leave the country, a major break in diplomatic relations after the airport assassination of Kim Jong-nam, the half brother of North Korea’s leader.<br />Earlier, Mr. Kang had ignored a request to apologize for several inflammatory statements, including<br />questioning the police finding that Mr. Kim was murdered with a banned nerve agent.<br />Mr. Kim, the elder half brother of North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, died on Feb. 13 less than 20 minutes after two<br />women wiped poison on his face as he prepared to check in for a flight at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.<br />Mr. Kang referred to Kim Jong-nam only by the name on the passport he was carrying, Kim Chol,<br />and sought to have his body handed over to the embassy before an autopsy could be performed.<br />For this reason, the ambassador has been declared persona non grata." Mr. Anifah noted<br />that the police had released a North Korean man arrested in the case, Ri Jong Chol, for lack of evidence on Friday.<br />He said it was "proof that the investigation is conducted in an impartial, fair and transparent manner, as befits a country<br />that practices the rule of law." Declaring an ambassador persona non grata is one of the harshest measures a country can take short of breaking off diplomatic relations.
