No plan to meet NK officials visiting next month: Unification Ministry

The Unification Ministry said Wednesday it has no plans to meet with two senior North Korean officials visiting South Korea next week.

A seven-member delegation led by Ri Jong-hyok, vice chairman of the Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, and Kim Song-hye, director of the United Front Department’s tactical office, is expected to attend an international forum on peace and prosperity in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, from Nov. 14-17.

Ri Jong-hyok, vice chairman of the Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee and ranking member of North Korea's Supreme People’s Assembly. (Yonhap)

“As for now, there is no plan for any government-level meeting (with them),” Unification Ministry spokesperson Baik Tae-hyun, said at a press briefing.

On Tuesday night, the ministry said that it had received an application from the North for the approval of the group’s visit. The application was delivered to the ministry via the forum organizers.

The visit will mark the first to the South outside of Panmunjom by senior North Korean officials since the PyeongChang Olympics early this year.

By Choi Ji-won (jwchoikr@heraldcorp.com)