Malaysia has recalled its ambassador to Pyongyang as a diplomatic row over the apparent assassination of the North Korean leader’s brother escalated on Monday.
马来西亚已召回该国驻朝鲜大使。围绕朝鲜领导人的同父异母长兄显然被暗杀的外交争吵周一升级。
The killing of Kim Jong Nam at Kuala Lumpur airport has soured relations between the two countries, with North Korea accusing Malaysia of colluding with “hostile forces”.
金正男(Kim Jong Nam)在吉隆坡机场遇袭身亡事件,损害了两国关系,朝鲜指责马来西亚勾结“敌对势力”。
Malaysian authorities have infuriated Pyongyang by insisting on an independent investigation into the death, and refusing North Korean officials access to the body during the autopsy.
Police in Kuala Lumpur have detained a North Korean national, and released the names and images of four other North Korean men who are wanted in connection with Kim’s death.
Kim, who was waiting to board a flight to Macau, complained of dizziness after two women wiped liquid on his face, police said. He collapsed and died on the way to hospital.
Since his death, Mr Kim’s body has been subject to a tussle between the two countries, with Pyongyang attempting to block an autopsy and take possession of the body.
在他死亡后,金正男的尸体成了两国间争执不下的一个问题,平壤方面试图阻止尸检,并要回尸体。
Malaysian authorities insist that the body must be handed to Kim’s next-of-kin after DNA tests to confirm his identity.
马来西亚有关部门则坚称,尸体必须在DNA测试确认身份后交给金正男的家属。
Malaysia’s ministry of foreign affairs said on Monday that its top diplomat in Pyongyang is being recalled to Kuala Lumpur “for consultations”.
马来西亚外交部周一表示,该国常驻平壤的最高外交官正被召回吉隆坡进行“磋商”。
North Korea’s ambassador to Malaysia, Kang Chol, was summoned to the ministry of foreign affairs on Monday to explain criticisms of the Malaysian government, including a claim that Malaysia had “forced the postmortem without our permission”.
The ambassador was seen speeding away from the ministry in a black limousine flying a North Korean pennant on Monday morning.
周一上午,这位大使被看到乘坐一辆悬挂朝鲜国旗的黑色豪华轿车驶离马来西亚外交部。
In a statement on Friday, the ambassador complained that as Kim was a diplomatic passport holder and under the “consular protection” of North Korea, Pyongyang was entitled to block an autopsy.
Malaysia’s foreign ministry said that as the death occurred on Malaysian soil “under mysterious circumstances”, it was the government’s responsibility to conduct an investigation.
马来西亚外交部称,由于这起“案情离奇的”死亡事件发生在马来西亚领土上,政府有责任展开调查。
North Korea is widely believed to have instigated the assassination of Kim. He was a half-brother of North Korea’s hardline leader Kim Jong Un and had advocated market reforms.
朝鲜被广泛认为策划了暗杀金正男的行动。他是朝鲜强硬领导人金正恩(Kim Jong Un)的同父异母长兄,生前主张市场化改革。
The Malaysian foreign ministry, rejecting the ambassador’s criticism as “baseless”, said: “The Malaysian government takes very seriously any unfounded attempt to tarnish its reputation.”
Malaysia and North Korea have sought to boost business ties in recent years. North Korea, which grants Malaysians visa-free entry, imports refined oil, natural rubber and palm oil from Malaysia, and exports electrical and electronic products and chemicals to the south-east Asian country.
Air Koryo, the North Korean state carrier, launched direct flights between Pyongyang and Kuala Lumpur in 2011, but this service was discontinued in June 2014.