Malaysia, DPRK slap exit bans as dispute escalates

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said on Tuesday that he had instructed police to ban all citizens from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from leaving the country after Pyongyang announced a similar ban.

The prime minister also urged the DPRK to immediately allow all Malaysians to leave to "avoid any further escalation".

Describing the DPRK's exit ban as an "abhorrent act, effectively holding our citizens hostage", Najib said it was in total disregard of all international law and diplomatic norms.