We usually don’t spend much time writing about international politics, but this news story is an exception. If you’ve been following the news lately, you probably still remember that the case of Kim Jong-nam, Kim Jong-un’s half-brother, being assassinated at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia not long ago has still not fully concluded. Malaysia and North Korea remain sharply divided over how to investigate Kim Jong-nam’s death and pursue criminal charges against those responsible, which also led to Malaysia announcing the expulsion of North Korean ambassador to Malaysia Kang Chol. What happened next went completely off-script. I suspect even Trump, who is known for both big talk and big moves, probably did not see this coming: on March 7, North Korea’s foreign ministry announced a temporary ban preventing Malaysian citizens in North Korea from leaving the country until the incident in Malaysia is resolved. Yes, you read that correctly: Malaysian citizens were barred from leaving North Korea!
It seems the Malaysian government was also left speechless by this “novel” tactic and unsure how to respond. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid then announced that North Korean diplomats in Malaysia would not be allowed to leave. Shortly afterward, Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib escalated things to a fully reciprocal policy, announcing that any North Korean citizen in Malaysia would also be barred from leaving the country.
Reports said that there were currently 11 Malaysian citizens in North Korea, including people carrying out diplomatic and United Nations duties as well as their family members. They were all stranded at Pyongyang International Airport.
What Is Kim Jong-un Thinking?
Needless to say, such a bizarre move was almost certainly Kim Jong-un’s idea. Given that suspicion surrounding North Korean personnel in Malaysia’s criminal investigation was growing, and that two suspects were reportedly hiding inside the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur and refusing to come out, Kim may have felt he had no other options and resorted to this ugly form of “hostage-taking” to apply pressure. Malaysia, in turn, was forced to “hold back” some North Koreans as leverage to protect the safety of its own citizens.
Any Takeaways?
Recently, relations between China and North Korea have also cooled compared with before. Although North Korea may not quite dare to do something similar to China, there is no guarantee Kim Jong-un won’t make another strange move in the future. If what was supposed to be a short trip of just a few days gets forcibly extended, that would hardly be pleasant. We suggest that anyone planning to travel to North Korea should be careful.
Also, let’s hope Trump, far away in America, doesn’t pick up any bad ideas.
What do you think? Come share your thoughts.