The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has for the third time postponed Malaysia's AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 qualifiers match with North Korea, which was supposed to have been played in Pyongyang next month.

This after the travel ban imposed today by the Malaysian government on its citizens from travelling to the hermit nation.

In a statement posted on its website, AFC said it was informed of the ban by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).

"In light of this information, the AFC has postponed the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019, Final Qualifying Round Group B match between DPR (Democratic People's Republic of) Korea and Malaysia, which was scheduled to be played in Pyongyang on Oct 5, 2017.

"The AFC will now refer the matter to the appropriate committees to decide on the future status of this match," read the brief statement.

Earlier today, Malaysia's Foreign Ministry said the travel ban will be in effect until further notice.

"This decision is taken in view of the escalation of tensions in the Korean Peninsula and related developments arising from missile tests. The travel ban will be reviewed once the situation has returned to normal," it had said.

Meanwhile, FAM in a statement this afternoon confirmed that Nelo Vingada, the coach of the national football team, known as Harimau Malaya, will not be flying to Pyongyang next Tuesday in light of the latest development.

FAM Secretary-General Hamidin Mohd Amin said he had contacted his counterpart in AFC on the matter and was told to send an official correspondence on Harimau Malaya's inability to travel for the match.

"An official letter has already been sent to the AFC, and the AFC has replied, saying the scheduled match will not proceed," he said.

Hamidin added that he had also spoken about the latest development to FAM President and Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, who duly noted the matter.

According to Hamidin, the ban has also resulted in the rescheduling of other programmes of the national football squad, including a football camp in Johor Bahru this coming Saturday.

"Given the cancellation (of the AFC match), the camp will now only start on Wednesday, Oct 5 at the FAM complex in Kelana Jaya, and Harimau Malaya will fly to Hong Kong on Oct 6 to face another qualifying match for the Asian Cup 2019, with the host, on Oct 10."

Malaysia has traditionally maintained cordial ties with North Korea, despite the country being treated as an outcast state by much of the developed world.

Malaysia is just one of the rare countries that have been accorded visa-free status by North Korea. It is also one of just 24 countries which maintain an embassy in Pyongyang.

The relationship soured, however, following the assassination of Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean ruler Kim Jong-un, at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 last February.

Of late, Putrajaya has been roped in by the US to put pressure on Pyongyang, following its recent hydrogen bomb and ballistic missile tests.

Two weeks ago, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak met US President Donald Trump at the White House and issued a joint statement which, among others, touched on North Korea.

"President Trump welcomed Prime Minister Najib's commitment to go beyond the UN Security Council resolutions, including through a review of its diplomatic relations and business links with North Korea," read the statement.