Najib softens line in bid to get Malaysians out of N. Korea

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak struck a softer tone with North Korea on Wednesday, a day after accusing it of treating Malaysians as “hostages” amid a diplomatic meltdown over the murder of the estranged half-brother of the North’s leader. Malaysian police have identified eight North Koreans wanted for questioning in connection with the killing of Kim Jong Nam who was killed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Feb. 13 by assassins who Malaysian police say used a super-toxic nerve agent that killed him within 20 minutes. Police say three of them are hiding at the North Korean embassy. In a bid to “ensure the safety” of its diplomats and citizens in Malaysia, North Korea retaliated on Tuesday by banning Malaysians from leaving the country until the case was “properly solved.” Najib initially denounced that move as an “abhorrent act” while ordering a reciprocal ban. In Malaysia’s Borneo state of Sarawak, 37 North Koreans were detained on Tuesday at a construction site for overstaying their visas, a state government source said. They were among 176 North Koreans working in Sarawak. Those who overstayed, would be given 30-day extensions, however, an immigration source said. But faced with the priority of securing the release of the 11 Malaysians stuck in North Korea, Najib sounded more conciliatory in parliament on Wednesday, saying there were no plans to cut diplomatic ties. “We are a country that’s friendly to them,” Najib said, after reassuring MPs that there was no threat to the safety of the three embassy staff, six family members, and two other Malaysians in North Korea. “We didn’t pick a quarrel with them but when a crime has been committed, especially when chemical weapons have been used in Malaysia, we are duty bound to protect the interest of Malaysians.” Najib declined to elaborate on what action he would take to bring back his citizens: “If there’s any negotiations, we can’t do it through the media.” North Korea is in danger of losing one of the few friends it has outside of China. On Monday, Malaysia expelled North Korea’s ambassador for questioning the impartiality of the murder investigation and ended visa free travel for North Koreans. Last week, Malaysia said it would investigate North Korea front companies after a Reuters report showed that Pyongyang’s spy agency was running an arms network in the country. The UN has called for calm and urged the two countries to settle their differences through “established diplomatic practice.” — Agencies