Malaysia is to end visa-free travel for North Koreans entering the country from next Monday, citing national security reasons, according to the state news agency.
The move comes two weeks after Kim Jong-nam, the estranged half brother of North Korea’s leader, was killed at Kuala Lumpur airport with a toxic nerve agent.
Diplomatic ties between Malaysia and North Korea have soured since the murder, which South Korea and the US allege was an assassination organised by North Korean agents.
Malaysia is one of the few countries that North Koreans could visit without a visa.
A reciprocal arrangement made Malaysians the only foreigners given visa-free entry to the secretive, nuclear-armed state.
Malaysia has charged an Indonesian woman and a Vietnamese woman with murder.
The only North Korean arrested over the assassination is to be freed tomorrow, Malaysia's attorney general has said.
Police want to question seven others, including a senior official in the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia has insisted that the laws of the country will be followed and has refused to release the body of Kim Jong-nam to the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur, while waiting for next of kin to come forward.
The severe strain on the relationship follows decades of friendly relations between the two countries.
North Korea and Malaysia have maintained close ties since the 1970s when former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad embraced the isolated state, in part to rebuff the United States.
Malaysian palm oil and rubber is exported to the communist state.
Cars made by Malaysian national carmaker Proton have been sold to North Korea and used as taxis.
