North Korea on Thursday said it had reached agreement with Malaysia for the return of the body of a citizen killed in  Kuala Lumpur in February and identified by South Korean and U.S. officials as the half-brother of the North's leader.

The body is to be returned to family in North Korea, the official KCNA news agency said, adding that both countries would lift reciprocal bans on travel by citizens and guarantee their safety, letting nine Malaysians now in Pyongyang return home.

The agreement was reached after recent talks between North Korea and Malaysia in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, it added.

North Korea does not acknowledge the dead man is Kim Jong-nam, the half brother of leader Kim Jong Un. Pyongyang continuesto refer to him as Kim Chol, the name on the diplomatic passportKim was carrying when he died.(AFP)