The Malaysian government has decided to return the body of Kim Jong-nam to North Korea, AP reported on Thursday. The administrations have agreed on a swap, whereby Kim’s body will be handed over to North Korea, which, in turn, will release nine Malaysians barred from leaving the country after relations between the nations became strained. Kim Jong-nam was the half-brother of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on Thursday said the decision was taken during “very sensitive” negotiations. Reuters reported that the body was to leave Malaysia on Thursday, but there has been no confirmation about this from the government. “It is planned for...but not sure if [it’s] happening,” an unidentified aviation industry official told the news agency.

Malaysian investigators have also zeroed in on three people who are believed to have played a role in the murder. They were detained in the North Korean embassy. However, it is not clear yet whether they will also be released.

Kim Jong-nam was poisoned to death at Kuala Lumpur Airport on February 13. The assassination had triggered diplomatic tension between the two countries. On March 4, Malaysian authorities had expelled North Korea’s ambassador after he accused Kuala Lumpur of colluding with “outside powers to defame North Korea”. North Korea responded in a similar manner and declared the Malaysian ambassador a persona non grata.