North Korean state media reported Tuesday that Pyongyang will not allow Malaysian nationals inside North Korea to leave until Kuala Lumpur guarantees the safety of its own diplomats and citizens in Malaysia.
Of the Malaysians believed to be in North Korea, four are embassy staff and their families, plus two United Nations employees, a Malaysian government official told CNN.
"This abhorrent act, effectively holding our citizens hostage, is in total disregard of all international law and diplomatic norms," Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said in a statement Tuesday.