Italy has ordered North Korea's newly-appointed ambassador to leave the country in an apparent bid to join the global drive to punish the North for its continued missile and nuclear provocations, a local media report showed Sunday.

According to South Korea’s News Agency (Yonhap), Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano unveiled the decision in an interview with a local daily.

In July, North Korea nominated Mun Jong-nam as top envoy to Rome. He was to fill the post which had been vacant for about 20 months.

The minister was quoted as saying that the decision was made to stop the accreditation procedure for the ambassador, adding he will leave the country. He, however, noted that it does not mean cutting diplomatic ties with the North.

Italy is the second European country, following Spain, that has ordered the North Korean ambassador to leave. Mexico, Peru and Kuwait have also joined those countries in making the same decision

Source: BNA