The body of Kim Jong-Un's half brother is on its way back to Pyongyang, along with three North Koreans wanted for questioning over his assassination.

A coffin carrying Kim Jong-Nam, who died after being poisoned at Malaysia's Kulua Lumpur airport, left the country on a Beijing-bound flight on Thursday evening.

Photographs from Japan's Kyodo news agency show Hyon Kawng Song, the second secretary at North Korea's embassy in Kuala Lumpur, and Kim Uk Il, a member of staff at North Korea's state airline Air Koryo, were on the same plane.

Media reports in Malaysia also said a third North Korean, Ri Ji U, who had been hiding with them at the North Korean embassy in the city, was also on board.

Image: Kim Jong-Nam had been living in Macau under Chinese protection. Pic: NTV

The three men were among eight North Koreans Malaysian police wanted to question over the murder.


Malaysia's police chief said the trio were allowed to leave after giving statements to investigators.

From Beijing, the coffin was transferred to a flight to Pyongyang along with the three men.

Chinese officials have confirmed the body arrived in the city.

CCTV 'shows Kim Jong-Nam assassination'

"The body of the DPRK citizen who died in Malaysia and relevant DPRK citizens have returned to the DPRK today via Beijing," foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said.

Malaysian authorities released Mr Kim's body on Thursday as part of a deal that secured the release of nine Malaysian citizens held in North Korea amid a diplomatic row between the two countries.

Mr Kim died after VX nerve agent, a lethal chemical that is on a UN list of weapons of mass destruction, was smeared in his face by two women.

Prosecutors have charged two women - an Indonesian and a Vietnamese national - with killing him, but they are seen by South Korean and US officials as pawns in an operation carried out by North Korean agents.

Image: Doan Thi Huang and Siti Aisyah have been charged over the killing

According to South Korean politicians, Kim Jong-Un had issued a "standing order" for his half-brother's assassination and there was a failed attempt in 2012.

Of the others wanted for questioning, investigators believe four fled Malaysia on the day of the killing.

Another suspect was detained for a week before being released due to insufficient evidence.

Angered by the investigation, North Korea slapped a travel ban on Malaysians leaving the country, trapping three diplomats and six family members in Pyongyang.

Image: The Malaysians held in North Korea arrived back home on Friday morning

There were emotional scenes at Kuala Lumpur's airport as they were greeted by relatives.

The eldest son of late North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il, Mr spoken out publicly against his family's dynastic control of the isolated nation.

He had been living in the Chinese territory of Macau, under China's protection.

The 45-year-old was apparently overlooked to succeed Kim Jong-Il after a botched attempt to enter Japan in May 2001 on a forged passport.