Kuala Lumpur’s only North Korean restaurant, off Jalan Imbi, has closed. South Korean news agency Yonhap News cites a drop in revenue as their reason for shutting down operations. Coincidentally, the timing arrived shortly after Malaysia and North Korea faced a diplomatic stand-off, following the assassination of Kim Jong-nam at KLIA2.
The events proceeding the murder saw both countries freeze travel for each others citizens, with Malaysian diplomats and their families being held by the Kim Jong-un regime for a further 3 weeks until being allowed to go home.
The restaurants have been accused of serving as a money funnel for the North Korean regime. Sources allege that funds were sent directly back to Pyongyang to bolster missile and nuclear programs, and that the restaurants were a front used to wash illicit funds. Workers were brought in directly from North Korea, and would serve as waitresses, accordion maestros, and song-and-dance performers to curious customers.
One KL customer described his experience of standard North Korean staples as: “exquisite Pyongyang-style Naengmyeon with a slight after-taste of money laundering.”
Afraid you’ve missed the legendary accordion battles and mediocre food? Easy champ, there are still 10 other North Korean restaurants in Southeast Asia, and many more locations globally from Dubai to Amsterdam.
In the meantime, enjoy this ditty:
