KINIGUIDE It was reported yesterday that Kim Jong-nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, was killed at KL International Airport 2 (KLIA2).

Amidst speculation about the assassination and the identities of the alleged assassins, questions about the bilateral ties between Malaysia and North Korea have arisen.

Malaysia, however, has traditionally enjoyed warm ties with North Korea, which tends toward isolationism in its foreign policies.

When did North Korea and Malaysia first establish diplomatic ties?

Diplomatic relations between the two countries was first established in June 1973, during a time when North Korea was expanding its diplomatic outreach.

During the 1970s, North Korea was working on building ties with Africa and Asia, and began reaching out to the West in an effort to develop its economy, according to a 2016 issue brief on the country's diplomatic relations by Daniel Wertz, JJ Oh and Kim In-sung.

In 2003, the North Korean embassy opened in Malaysia, where it is now headed by ambassador Kang Chol.

A year later, Malaysia established its embassy in Pyongyang, where our ambassador to North Korea is currently Mohammad Nizan Mohammad.

In 2013, Kang's predecessor Jang Yong-chol was recalled to Pyongyang and assassinated. Jang was Jong-nam's cousin.

As of August 2016, the Malaysian embassy is one of only 24 foreign embassies in Pyongyang, while Malaysia is one of 47 countries hosting North Korean embassies.

Can Malaysians visit North Korea without a travel visa?

According to news reports, Malaysia became the first country to be able to visit North Korea without a visa in 2009.

"It is the only country whose people can come to visit without a visa.

"We warmly welcome Malaysians to Pyongyang," said Korea International Travel company president Jo Su-gyu back then.

Though Singaporeans, at one point, could also enter North Korea without a visa, that was recently changed and they now require a visa to travel to North Korea.

Currently, Malaysia is the only country in the world whose citizens with normal passports do not require a visa to visit North Korea for up to 30 days.

What about tourism between the two countries?

In 2011, the reclusive country also opened air routes between Pyongyang and Kuala Lumpur.

However, in a news report which cited Malaysia's implementation report on the United Nations (UN) Security Council Resolution 2270, it was said that Malaysia had banned North Korean passenger jets from its airspace.

Measures were taken to prohibit North Korean flights from landing and taking off from Malaysian territory or transiting its airspace, the report said.

This was part of its efforts to implement the UN Security Councils' sanctions against North Korea.

The report also said that North Korea's flagship carrier Air Koryo's last flight in Malaysia was on June 8, 2014.

Despite this, on Feb 10 this year, Malaysia and North Korea signed a memorandum of understanding focused on an exchange of arts, culture and heritage.

What are economic relations like between Malaysia and North Korea?

Economic relations between Malaysia and North Korea have also been friendly, with 18 North Korean companies taking part in an international branding showcase in Malaysia in December last year.

Malaysia External Trade Development Corp (Matrade) chief executive officer Dzulkifli Mahmud said in 2015, Malaysia's trade with North Korea was a total of RM22.72 million.

Of that amount, RM17.54 million were exports while imports totalled RM5.18 million, he revealed.

"North Korea is now looking at using Malaysia as a gateway to South-East Asian markets as it finds the country business-friendly with pro-business policies," he had said then.

North Korea imports refined oil, natural rubber and palm oil from Malaysia, he said, while Malaysia imports electrical and electronic products, chemicals and chemical products, iron and steel products from North Korea.

Can North Koreans work in Malaysia?

There are North Koreans working in Malaysia, but only in Sarawak.

This came to light after a North Korean died in a mine explosion in Sarawak back in 2014.

Despite concerns about the legality of the migrant North Korean workers, then deputy home minister Wan Junaidi Tunku Jaafar clarified that the North Korean workers at the coal mine had legal immigration papers.

Those workers at the coal mine were brought into the country through a special arrangement between the Sarawak and North Korean governments, according to reports.

Wan Junaidi also said that North Korean workers are allowed to work in the country so long as they own working permits and are not spreading their "ideologies".

Several news reports in 2016 also said that some 300 North Koreans working in Malaysia, in allegedly "slave-like conditions", were remitting funds back to their home country.

There are also North Korean staff working at the Pyongyang Koryo restaurant in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.

The servers also perform cultural shows for patrons at the restaurant, which received 3.5 out of five stars on popular review website Tripadvisor.

The restaurant is part of a global chain owned by Haedanghwa Group, an organisation belonging to the North Korean government.

Are there any other indications that Malaysia and North Korea enjoy good diplomatic ties?

In 2013, HELP University Malaysia awarded Kim Jong-un an honorary doctorate, with the ceremony to convey the certificate being held on Oct 3, 2013, at the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

The North Korean ambassador to Malaysia received the honour on the leader's behalf.

In October last year, it was also reported that high-ranking North Korean officials and former US officials met for a couple of days in Malaysia, for a possible peace treaty.

The informal talks were reportedly between North Korean vice foreign minister Han Song-ryol and four former US officials.

At that time, one of the ex-US officials, Leon Sigal, said North Korea was the one to insist the two sides begin talks on a "peace treaty".

This instalment of KiniGuide was compiled by Geraldine Tong.