North Korea's top diplomat in Italy has gone into hiding, according to a South Korean member of parliament, after a South Korean newspaper reported he is seeking asylum in the West.

Kim Min-ki told reporters after a closed-door meeting with South Korean intelligence officials on Thursday that the acting Ambassador, Jo Song Gil, disappeared with his wife and children.

"Acting Ambassador Jo Song Gil's term was ending in late November last year and he escaped the diplomatic compound in early November," he said. 

The spy agency briefing to MPs came after South Korea's JoongAng Ilbo daily reported that Jo had sought asylum in an unidentified Western country with his family.

"He sought asylum early last month," the JoongAng quoted a diplomatic source in Seoul as saying.

The report said the 48-year-old, who is "known to be a son or son-in-law of one of the highest-level officials in the North's regime", was in a "safe place" with his family under the protection of the Italian government.

Most North Korean diplomats serving overseas are normally required to leave several family members - typically children - behind in Pyongyang to prevent their defection while working abroad.

Jo, however, came to Rome in May 2015 with his wife and children, suggesting he may be from a privileged family, the JoongAng said, adding the reason for his defection bid was still unclear.