With other developments happening in the country, the "hostage" situation involving Malaysian citizens in North Korea seems no longer to be at the back of everyone's minds.

However, this is not the case at the diplomatic level, with negotiations between Malaysia and North Korea on the safety and return of the Malaysians at the embassy in Pyongyang still continuing.

Confirming this, Deputy Foreign Minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican explained that he, on his part, did not want to send “wrong signals” that could jeopardise the ongoing negotiations.

"If I make a comment, then they will look for some kind of signal that may, in a way, mislead the whole process of negotiations," Reezal told Malaysiakini today.

He also explained that he did not have the mandate to speak further about the ongoing negotiations.

However, Reezal stressed that the safety of Malaysian citizens in Pyongyang was of paramount importance.

"We should not dwell on that (the negotiations). As Malaysians, let us be together in this situation for the sake of the safety of our citizens there,” he said.

Reezal also confirmed that Wisma Putra was in constant contact with them.

Not under any confinement

"Wisma Putra contacts them, literally everyday, while I myself do so, every alternate day. Today I’m planning to contact them,” he added.

Reezal also gave his assurance that the Malaysian citizens in Pyongyang were safe and that they were not living in fear.

“Alhamdulillah, they are good. They are not under any confinement and they have freedom of movement. They are not under house arrest (and) they can go to grocery (stores).

"They are free to move, although they still cannot return (to Malaysia) because we have some contentious issues between the two countries,” he admitted.

Earlier this month, North Korea barred Malaysians from leaving the country, which led to Malaysia reciprocating similarly and disallowing staff working at the North Korean in Malaysia from leaving the country.

Currently, Malaysians who are attached with the Malaysian embassy in Pyongyang and members of their families, nine people in all, are still in North Korea.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries became strained following the murder of Kim Jong-nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2) on Feb 13.

Two women - an Indonesian and a Vietnamese national - have since been charged with the murder.

Pyongyang is demanding the return of Jong-nam's body, but Malaysia has indicated that it would only release it to Jong-nam's next-of-kin.