U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon is expected to visit North Korea later this week, marking the first time in over two decades the head of the international body will visit the country.
Citing a "high-level U.N. source," South Korean news agency Yonhap said Monday that the Secretary-General plans to travel to Pyongyang and meet with Kim Jong Un to discuss North Korea's nuclear program, which it faces heavy U.N., EU and U.S. sanctions for, and other Korean Peninsula matters, according to CNN.
"There can't be such a situation where the U.N. Secretary-General visits North Korea and does not meet with the supreme leader of the U.N. member state," the source said.
A statement from Eri Kaneko, Ban's spokesperson, noted that "The Secretary-General has always said that he is ready to play any role in order to help enhance dialogue, stability and peace on the Korean Peninsula," but declined to comment on whether Ban would actually meeting with Pyongyang's reclusive leader, according to Bloomberg.
"We've seen the reports, but aren't commenting on this for now. Will let you know if that changes," she said.
South Korea's government followed suit, not commenting on the Yonhap report and expecting the U.N. to make any announcement, Unification Ministry spokesperson Jeong Joon Hee said Monday.
The rumored trip comes six months after Pyongyang cancelled an invitation for Ban to visit a factory park in Kaesong, reported FOX News. The cancellation, which is still unexplained, is believed to have occurred due to alleged Pyongyang fears that Ban would only back the views of Washington and Seoul.
The results of the trip could be a breakthrough for the Korean Peninsula, which has remained in a quasi-state of war since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War with a ceasefire, rather than a peace treaty.
