Malaysia will not close its embassy in Pyongyang and will continue to allow North Korean workers in Malaysia to continue working there despite a diplomatic dispute over the North’s detention of nine Malaysians.

According to the local media including the Malaysian National News Agency or Bernama on Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told reporters on Saturday that Malaysia will maintain diplomatic ties with North Korea and will not close its embassy in Pyongyang.

He added that Malaysia hopes that North Korea will do the same.

Currently, the Malaysian Embassy in Pyongyang remains empty as Malaysian diplomats and their families, who were barred from leaving North Korea, returned home safely.

The deputy prime minister dismissed criticism that Malaysia accepted the North’s unreasonable demands in order to secure the return of the nine Malaysians.

He claimed that Malaysia did not make any trade-offs in saving the nine Malaysians in Pyongyang, instead, their return was based on the understanding achieved by both countries, saying it is not about a swap, but about understanding.

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