North Korean man faces extradition to U.S. after Malaysian court ruling

March 10 (UPI) -- A Malaysian court has agreed to the extradition of a North Korean man, Mun Chol Myong, to the United States, after the business executive was charged with money laundering in 2019.

A Malaysian Federal Court panel dismissed claims Tuesday from the defendant's lawyer, Gooi Soon Seng, that the charges are politically motivated, Benar News reported.

The Federal Court decision comes after a Kuala Lumpur High Court in October said the government has met all legal requirements for extraditing Mun to the United States.

The court also referred to a treaty between Malaysia and the United States.

"In considering this appeal we bear in mind that the application of this appeal stems from the extradition treaty entered into between the Malaysian government and the U.S. government," the court said.

The United States requested Mun's extradition in May 2019. According to South Korean news service Newsis, the 55-year-old Mun, a long-term resident of Malaysia, had said in his affidavit he had no role in supplying luxury goods to North Korea from Singapore, his previous place of residence.

Mun also claimed falsified documents were used to charge him of illegal exporting luxury goods and money laundering through shell corporations.

U.N. sanctions forbid luxury items sales to North Korean entities. Analysts have said items like expensive Swiss watches and jet skis are used by Kim Jong Un to reward loyal subordinates and maintain the regime.

Gooi said in his argument Tuesday that his client was a "pawn" between Washington and Pyongyang, according to Benar News.

"It started with the sanctions by the U.S. on North Korea. The transaction is legal, but they had to use the U.S. dollar. The U.S. dollar has been weaponized by the U.S. government," Gooi said.

The defense also said three Singaporean citizens who were affiliated with Mun, also accused of money laundering, were not being extradited to the United States, according to Newsis.