Malaysia has banned its citizens from travelling to North Korea as the country faces increasing diplomatic pressure over its weapons programmes.

The foreign ministry announced the ban in a statement on Thursday and said it would last until further notice.

The travel ban could affect an Asian Cup qualifier football match between Malaysia and North Korea scheduled for October 5 in Pyongyang. The match has already been delayed twice due to security issues.

The Football Association of Malaysia said it would issue a statement later on Thursday, when asked if the team would be allowed to fly to Pyongyang despite the ban.

The statement cited North Korea's missile tests and related developments. North Korea has been targeted in recent months by stricter sanctions and increasing diplomatic pressure, with Kuwait and Mexico expelling its envoys in recent weeks.

Since July, North Korea has launched its first intercontinental ballistic missiles, flown mid-range missiles over Japan into the Pacific and detonated its sixth nuclear test.

Malaysia is one of its few remaining diplomatic partners in the world even though bilateral tensions briefly escalated after the North Korean leader's estranged half-brother was killed at Kuala Lumpur airport in February. Both countries imposed travel bans on the other's citizens which were lifted after a deal was reached in March.

Two women from Vietnam and Indonesia have been charged over the murder which was widely believed to have been orchestrated by North Korea.