North Korean embassy cordoned off, police stationed outside

Police have been stationed outside the North Korean embassy in Jalan Batai.

KUALA LUMPUR: Police have sealed the North Korean Embassy on Jalan Batai, here.

The move follows recent developments in the Kim Jong-nam assassination saga that has seen Malaysia and North Korea implementing travel bans.

Police showed up around 11.30am on Tuesday and blocked the road leading to the embassy.

They then cordoned off the area in front of the embassy's main gate.

When asked what was going on, one of the officers said: "We are sealing off the embassy."

Around 15 policemen, some seen carrying submachine guns, have been stationed around the embassy.

Pyongyang on Tuesday announced that all Malaysian citizens in North Korea were banned from leaving the country.

In an immediate response, Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said all North Korean Embassy staff in Malaysia would be similarly barred from leaving.

Dr Ahmad Zahid, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, confirmed that the travel ban only applies to diplomatic staff, and that regular North Korean citizens in Malaysia will be allowed to leave the country.