KUALA LUMPUR: The government will decide today whether to continue to detain or deport a group of North Koreans whose working permits had expired recently in Sarawak. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi also assured that any action taken against the North Koreans would be done rationally in terms of diplomatic relations. There are about 170 North Koreans in Sarawak, mainly specialised workers operating in a coal mine and a hydro project. "Today, I will make a decision, in a few moments, on whether to continue detaining or deport them back to (North) Korea, because their working permits have ended. The issue of North Korean workers came into light following strained ties between Malaysia and North Korea, over the murder of Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of Kim Jong-un.

Source: New Strait Times March 13, 2017 07:41 UTC