KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is considering expelling North Korea’s envoy to the Southeast Asian nation or shutting its embassy in Pyongyang, as tensions escalate over the killing of the estranged half-brother of the North’s leader Kim Jong Un, a senior government official said.

North Korea’s ambassador said last week his country “cannot trust” Malaysia’s handling of the probe, and also accused the country of “colluding with outside forces” — a veiled reference to bitter rival South Korea.

A senior Malaysian government official who is familiar with the discussions said Ambassador Kang Chol’s comments have angered Malaysia and it was preparing a response, which could including declaring the ambassador “persona non grata”.

Such a move would be the strongest response Malaysia could take against a foreign diplomat, and would mean Kang Chol would have to leave the country.

The source said Malaysia was also considering other options. The country, which has until now been one of the few nations to maintain friendly ties with the isolated North, could close its embassy in Pyongyang, or end visa-free travel for North Koreans entering Malaysia.

If the criticism from North Korea did not stop, all diplomatic and trade ties could be cut, the source added.

The Malaysian foreign ministry did not answer phone calls seeking comment.

North Korea has not responded to Malaysia’s allegations of the possible involvement of its diplomat in the case. Attempts by Reuters to contact the North Korean embassy by phone were unsuccessful, and reporters were not allowed to enter the embassy to seek comment.

South Korean and US officials believe the killing of the elder half-brother of Kim Jong Un was an assassination carried out by agents of the North.

North Korean diplomats spent hours last week trying to talk Malaysian officials out of conducting an autopsy on Kim Jong Nam’s body, sources familiar with the discussions told Reuters, but Malaysia rejected the requests. The body is still at a hospital in Kuala Lumpur, as the autopsy has yet to be completed.

Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2017