North Korea

Kim Jong-nam: Body 'arrives in Pyongyang' in exchange deal

North Korea had requested the body, but has not confirmed its identity.

It was released as part of a deal under which nine Malaysians previously prevented from leaving North Korea have now arrived home.

The two countries had been locked in a diplomatic row in the wake of the killing in Kuala Lumpur last month.

Both countries had banned each other's citizens from leaving.

Three North Koreans have been allowed to leave Malaysia, Malaysia's chief of police said.

Malaysians held in North Korea return home

The nine Malaysian nationals were met by their relatives and a large media contingent at Kuala Lumpur airport early on Friday.The quarrel, over last month's killing of Kim Jong-nam in Kuala Lumpur, had resulted in both countries banning each other's citizens from leaving.

Malaysia has also allowed North Koreans to leave and released Mr Kim's body.

There is widespread suspicion that Pyongyang was responsible for orchestrating Mr Kim's murder.

Kim Jong-nam's body released to North Korea

Prime Minister Najib Razak said a coroner had approved the release of Kim Jong-nam's body.

Mr Kim was murdered at Kuala Lumpur airport with a lethal nerve agent last month.

The assassination led to a major diplomatic dispute between Malaysia and North Korea.

Malaysia has not directly blamed North Korea for the killing, but there is widespread suspicion that Pyongyang was responsible.

Meanwhile, nine Malaysians who had been barred from leaving North Korea returned to Malaysia early on Friday. They include three embassy staff and six family members.

North Korea missile launch 'fails'

"South Korea and the United States are aware of the North Korean missile launch and suspect it was a failure," said a spokesman for Seoul's military.

It is not clear how many missiles were fired or what type was being tested.

North Korea has conducted missile tests with increasing frequency and experts say this is likely to lead to advances in its missile technology.

Earlier this month, the North fired four missiles that flew about 1,000km (620 miles) landing in Japanese waters.

North Korea is banned from any missile or nuclear tests by the United Nations.

Military action against North Korea an option 'on the table': Tillerson

Mr Tillerson outlined the tougher strategy to confront North Korea's nuclear threat while visiting South Korea on his three-country tour of Asia.

He also closed the door on talks with Pyongyang unless it denuclearised and gave up its weapons of mass destruction.

When asked about the possibility of using military force, Mr Tillerson told a news conference in the South Korean capital: "All of the options are on the table".

Tillerson to warn China of sanctions over North Korea

Tillerson will deliver this message on his first official trip to Asia, a three-country tour that promises to be a tightrope walk of diplomatic tensions -- and nowhere more so than in Beijing, North Korea's closest ally and protector.

Kim Jong-nam death: Malaysian UN workers leave North Korea

The pair, who are employed by the World Food Programme (WFP), arrived in Beijing on Thursday.

North Korea and Malaysia on Tuesday banned each other's citizens from leaving, in a row over the killing of the North Korean leader's half-brother.

Kim Jong-nam was killed with a potent nerve agent at Kuala Lumpur airport.

Malaysia has not directly blamed North Korea for this, but there is widespread suspicion Pyongyang was responsible.

Malaysia blames North Korea for Kim Jong Nam's death

It comes amid a deepening diplomatic row over the February killing of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's half-brother at Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2.

"What we are facing now is the result of their action in assassinating their own citizen in Malaysia, on Malaysian soil, using a strictly banned chemical weapon," Najib told state media agency Bernama Wednesday.

A press official for Najib confirmed the comments to CNN. North Korea has repeatedly denied any involvement in Kim Jong Nam's murder.

Malaysia accuses North Korea of holding citizens 'hostage'

North Korean state media reported Tuesday that Pyongyang will not allow Malaysian nationals inside North Korea to leave until Kuala Lumpur guarantees the safety of its own diplomats and citizens in Malaysia.

Of the Malaysians believed to be in North Korea, four are embassy staff and their families, plus two United Nations employees, a Malaysian government official told CNN.

"This abhorrent act, effectively holding our citizens hostage, is in total disregard of all international law and diplomatic norms," Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said in a statement Tuesday.

Malaysians 'banned from leaving North Korea'

The state news agency KCNA said the ban would stay in place "until the incident that happened in Malaysia is properly solved".

Mr Kim, the estranged half-brother of North Korea's leader, was killed in Malaysia last month.

North Korea has denied accusations that it carried out the killing.