Why did North Korea grant Malaysia visa-free access?

Reasons for North Korea's visa exemption from Malaysia:

"Malaysia and North Korea signed an agreement on April 20, 2000, and both sides agreed to implement a partial visa-free system for short-term visits of less than one month." "But the number of Malaysians who visited North Korea visa-free after 2000 is still unknown."

RFA (Radio Free Asia) 18 reported that Malaysia is the only country in the world that implements a visa-free system for North Korea, and 29 countries including Egypt allow North Koreans to enter the country without a visa.

According to Henry Partner, a European law firm, there are 29 countries and regions where North Korea can enter the country without a visa, including Egypt, Dominica, Haiti, Jordan, Cambodia, Mongolia, Macau and Singapore.

Malaysian passport is the only passport in the Asia-Pacific region that can enter North Korea without a visa. However, North Korea's tourism policy still does not allow travelers to travel freely, and all travelers entering North Korea must join travel agencies and enter North Korea in the form of package tours. Moreover, when entering North Korea, passport, GSM mobile phone and GPS instrument must be handed over to immigration officials for safekeeping at the arrival hall of the airport. You can't get it back unless you leave the country.

According to the report published by Heinz Visa Restriction Index 20 12, Malaysia ranks with Hungary with a score of 153 14. Getting 153 points means that Malaysian citizens can enter 153 countries and regions without a visa. It is estimated that about 153 countries and regions grant Malaysian passport holders visa-free or visa-on-arrival convenience, among which 153 countries and regions are visa-free entry (visa-free landing), excluding countries and regions that need to apply for visas before entry and have pre-entry arrangement requirements.