Malaysia ends visa-free entry for North Koreans

Yesterday, Malaysia announced it was ending visa-free travel for North Koreans, citing security reasons.

North Koreans can currently visit Malaysia for up to 30 days without securing a visa, under a reciprocal deal.

But Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has said that is changing as of Monday 6 March, the Bernama state news agency reports.

Diplomatic ties between North Korea and Malaysia were initiated in the 1970s, and as trade in resources such as palm oil and steel increased, North Korea eventually established an embassy in Kuala Lumpur in 2003.

But Mr Kim’s death has converted this relationship into a full-blown diplomatic rift, with Malaysia even recalling its ambassador from Pyongyang.

Written by David Kugonza