North Korea in Malaysia loses appeal against US extradition

KUALA LUMPUR: A North Korean man accused of money laundering lost a legal offer to stop his extradition from Malaysia to the United States to face the charges on Thursday (October 8), but will file a final appeal.

Mun Chol Myong, who has lived in the Southeast Asian country for a decade with his family, was arrested last year following Washington’s extradition request.

He denies the FBI’s claims that he led a criminal group that violated sanctions by supplying prohibited items to North Korea and laundering funds through front companies, according to his lawyers.

A Malaysian court approved his extradition in December, but Mun challenged the move in Kuala Lumpur High Court.

His lawyers argued that his detention was illegal, as the accusations against him were political in nature.

LEE: Singapore admits supplying luxury goods to North Korea

But a judge rejected the argument, saying that the procedures were followed correctly and Mun could not prove that the extradition offer had “political charges.”

There was “insufficient evidence to support this challenge in the context of the money laundering allegations,” Judge Ahmad Shahrir Mohamad Salleh said.

His lawyer said he would file a final appeal in the Malaysian high court.

Mun, in his 50s, did not appear in court for the ruling, but his wife and North Korean officials were present.

He is charged with four counts of money laundering and two counts of conspiracy to launder money, and the allegations relate primarily to his work in neighboring Singapore, according to his lawyers.

It is unclear what it is accused of supplying, but there have been cases of companies in Singapore shipping luxury goods, such as spirits and watches, to the North.

The export to North Korea of ​​some luxury items has been banned as part of broad sanctions imposed on Pyongyang by the United Nations and countries, including the United States, for its weapons programs.