Former First Lady Lee Hee-ho embarked on a trip to North Korea on Wednesday.
 
The widow of former President Kim Dae-jung left for Pyongyang from Gimpo International Airport at around 10 a.m. on a chartered plane operated by budget airline Eastar Jet.
 
Earlier on Monday, the North sent an official invitation to the Kim Dae-jung Peace Center. The Ministry of Unification completed administrative procedures the same evening.
 
Lee's delegation includes Director Kim Sung-jae of the Kim Dae-jung Peace Center, Seoul National University honorary Professor Paik Nak-chung, Dankook University Chairman Chang Choong-sik, Chunjae Education Chairman Choi Yong-joon and secretary general of the Kim Dae-jung Peace Center Yoon Cheol-gu.
 
However, Rep. Park Jie-won of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) and former Ministers of Unification Lim Dong-won and Jeong Se-hyun, who had been expected to join the delegation, weren't on the list of visitors.
 
In the North, Lee will visit hospitals for women and children, an orphanage and Mount Myohyang.
 
A Kim Dae-jung Peace Center official said there was no indication from the North about a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
 
Lee will return to South Korea on Saturday. 
 
The visit, which had been pursued since the end of last year, comes as the two Koreas are gearing up to celebrate their 70th anniversary of liberation.