Article content

SEOUL, South Korea — The bitter diplomatic dispute between North Korea and Malaysia over the poisoning death of leader Kim Jong-un’s estranged half-brother escalated dramatically Tuesday, with Pyongyang saying it had banned Malaysians from leaving North Korea.

That was followed quickly by Malaysia saying North Korean embassy staff were barred from leaving its country. Malaysia had already expelled the North Korean ambassador on Monday.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Malaysians blocked from leaving North Korea as tensions escalate Back to video

The North’s Foreign Ministry told the Malaysian Embassy in Pyongyang that it would temporarily ban the exit of Malaysian citizens now in the North, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.

It said the exit ban will be valid “until the safety of the diplomats and citizens of (North Korea) in Malaysia is fully guaranteed through the fair settlement of the case that occurred in Malaysia.”

Malaysia is pursuing several North Korean suspects allegedly involved in the killing, including a diplomat at the North’s Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia has not accused the North of being behind the killing of Kim Jong-nam at Kuala Lumpur’s airport three weeks ago, but South Korean has.