Two Malaysian UN staff held in North Korea allowed to leave

Two Malaysians have left Pyongyang two days after North Korea said no Malaysians would be allowed to leave amid a diplomatic row between the two countries.

A man and a woman working for the World Food Programme arrived in Beijing Thursday, according to a United Nations spokeswoman.

They were among 11 Malaysian citizens who became trapped in the country after North Korea announced a ban on Malaysian departures. They included four embassy staffers and their family members.

Kuala Lumpur quickly announced its own ban to stop North Koreans leaving Malaysia. Officials declined to say how many North Koreans were inside the country.

Relations between Malaysia and North Korea have deteriorated since the murder of Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, on February 13.

Kim was poisoned with the highly lethal VX nerve agent as he was checking into a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Macau, according to Malaysian police.

Two women, one from Indonesian and another from Vietnam, have been charged with murder and face the death penalty if convicted.

Police are currently seeking seven North Koreans over the murder. Four are suspects who are believed to be back in their home country.

Police want to speak with three others who are thought to be holed up in the North Korean embassy in Malaysia.

Kim’s family is believed to be in hiding. His son, Kim Han Sol, appeared for the first time since the murder in a video Wednesday.

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