South Korea has blamed the north for the brazen killing, citing what they say was a standing order from Kim Jong-un to murder his exiled and estranged half-brother.
Police insisted that investigations into the Feb 13 murder allegedly ordered by Pyongyang would not be compromised by the release of the trio of North Koreans, including a senior diplomat, who had been holed up in their Kuala Lumpur embassy since the attack.
The travel bans left nine Malaysians stranded in North Korea but after Kim Jong-nam's body was returned to his native country, the group have now been allowed to return home.
"Kim Jong-un is a man who can do anything beyond the normal imagination" and that "the final and the real solution to the North Korean nuclear issue is to eliminate Kim Jong-un from the post", Thae said.
Police said the other three men are believed to be hiding in the North Korean Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
Japan's Kyodo news agency reported that Hyon Kwang Song, who is listed as second secretary at North Korea's embassy in Kuala Lumpur and Kim Uk-il, a staff member of North Korea's state airline Air Koryo, arrived in Beijing on Friday on a flight from Kuala Lumpur. He was about to board a flight to Macau when two women smeared his face with the deadly VX nerve agent at Kuala Lumpur airport seven weeks ago.
Kim Jong-nam's death brought down a storm of suspicion on Pyongyang, landing them in a row with Malaysia.
The two women, 25-year-old Siti Aisyah, an Indonesian, and 28-year-old Doan Thi Huong, a Vietnamese, have been charged in the Sepang Sessions Court with murder.
Malaysian authorities said they had the right to conduct an autopsy as he had been killed on Malaysian soil, and that they would only release the body to Mr Kim's family.
North Korea has refused to identify the dead man as anyone other than Kim Chol - the name stated in the passport found on his body.
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"If you maintain a relationship with North Korea that includes the presence of many North Koreans in your country, you run certain risks".
Pyongyang banned all Malaysians in North Korea from leaving the country until Kim's corpse was repatriated. "But we had to keep our spirits up", he said.
North Korea has denied any role in the killing.
A statement by the North Korean government released simultaneously said both countries managed to "resolve issues arising from the death of a DPRK national" in Malaysia at a meeting in Kuala Lumpur.
"They will likely use the body to claim they were not responsible and tell an alternative narrative", said Bridget Welsh, an expert on Southeast Asian politics.
March 31: Mr Kim's body and three wanted North Koreans flown back to Pyongyang.
Deputy Home Minister Masir Kujat said the North Korean migrants were rounded up in Sarawak by the state Immigration Department last month.
Khalid added that Malaysia released Kim Jong Nam's body after receiving a request from his next of kin.
On Friday morning Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman told reporters: "There can be no substitute for diplomacy, for level-headedness in dealing with such situations, and this has served Malaysia well in this instance".



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