Strained ties: A North Korean flag flying in the country’s embassy compound in KL. The Hermit Kingdom cut diplomatic ties with Malaysia on Saturday. — Bloomberg
The Cold War gave Pyongyang’s status a certain slant, while its nuclear weapons programme gave it another tilt. Little of it has been complimentary to North Korea. In 1973, Malaysia and North Korea established formal diplomatic relations. In the 1980s, KL played host to quiet inter-Korean talks away from the media spotlight.
During the investigation, the body of Jong-nam lay in the KL General Hospital morgue. Pyong-yang issued denials and accused Malaysia of fabricating evidence of his death. He filed an appeal at the Federal Court in October 2020 which was dismissed, as his case failed to meet the requirements of the Extradition Act.
On March 19, North Korea severed diplomatic relations with Malaysia. It accused Malaysia of committing a “nefarious act and unpardonably heavy crime”.