Malaysia's police chief says at least two suspects in the nerve agent assassination of Kim Jong-nam are holed up in North Korea's barricaded embassy in Kuala Lumpur and police would wait as long as necessary to arrest them.
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"If it takes five years we will wait outside," declared Khalid Abu Bakar, adding "definitely somebody will come out."
The United Nations has called for calm after North Korea barred Malaysians from leaving the country, prompting Malaysia to ban North Koreans leaving Malaysia in a rarely seen diplomatic meltdown over Mr Kim's killing at Kuala Lumpur airport on February 13.
Malaysia's prime minister Najib Razak strongly condemned North Korea's ban on Tuesday, saying it is "effectively holding our citizens hostage."
Malaysia says it believes there are at least 11 of its citizens in North Korea while there are believed to be around 1000 North Koreans in Malaysia, some of them students.
Malaysia said the North Korean exit ban would stay in place until the safety of its citizens was assured.
North Korea said its ban would remain "until the incident that happened in Malaysia is properly resolved."
After an emergency meeting of Malaysia's national security council, Mr Najib tweeted "I know that the family and friends of our fellow Malaysians detained in North Korea are anxiously awaiting news of their loved ones???you can rest assured that we are doing our very best to secure their return."
Malaysia's state news agency Bernama quoted a Malaysian woman in North Korea as saying she had not "received any news about the ban."
Diplomats say it is unclear what North Korea's motivation was in banning the Malaysians.
But if the Malaysians had been free to leave North Korea, Malaysia could have broken off diplomatic relations and closed its embassy without any significant political cost.
Malaysia's ban gives Kuala Lumpur leverage in an increasingly hostile row that shows no sign of ending, diplomats say.
Malaysian police have identified eight North Koreans as suspects in the killing, which South Korea says was orchestrated by the north's spy agency.
Four of the suspects left Kuala Lumpur immediately after the attack.
One North Korean man has been deported and police have named three other suspects, including the two believed to be holed up in the embassy.
The dramatic tit-for-tat bans came a day after Malaysia expelled North Korea's ambassador in Kuala Lumpur, one of the harshest diplomatic rebukes.
Malaysia has also ended visa-free status for North Koreans entering Malaysia, recalled its ambassador in Pyongyang and banned its national soccer team travelling to North Korea.
Malaysia was one of a dwindling number of countries that had maintained close relations with North Korea, which is under global sanctions over its nuclear program.
Mr Kim, the estranged half-brother of North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un, died after two women smeared the nerve agent on his face.
Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, and Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, 28, claim they were duped into believing they were taking part in a television prank show.
They have been charged with murder and face execution if found guilty.
