Malaysia bans travel to North Korea due to escalating tensions

The travel ban will be reviewed once the situation has returned to normal.

Malaysia said on Thursday that all its citizens are banned from travelling to North Korea until further notice due to escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula as a result of Pyongyang’s missile and nuclear development.

Men watch aircraft at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, Malaysia, in this picture taken March 2, 2016. (REUTERS)

Malaysia is one of the handful of countries that still have friendly diplomatic ties with North Korea, but relations strained earlier this year after the murder of Kim Jong Un’s half brother at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

The travel ban will be reviewed once the situation has returned to normal, the Malaysian foreign ministry said in a statement.

Malaysia’s soccer team is scheduled to face North Korea in an Asian Cup tie in Pyongyang on Oct. 5, a match that been delayed twice due to security fears.

It was not immediately clear if the team would be allowed to travel to Pyongyang despite the ban.