The UN's political chief will visit North Korea this week for talks with officials, amid heightened tensions over the North's latest ballistic missile test.
 
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Monday that UN Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman will travel to Pyongyang Tuesday to discuss "issues of mutual interest and concern" with North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho and others.
 
The spokesman said that Feltman's trip was in response to an invitation extended by the North during the UN General Assembly in September, adding the visit was fixed late last week. 
 
During his four-day trip, Feltman will reportedly meet UN staff and foreign diplomats in the North and visit the sites of UN programs.
 
He is currently said to be in Beijing ahead of his departure to the North. 
 
Asked whether Feltman would be preparing for a follow-on visit to Pyongyang by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, the spokesman only said that Guterres has always been ready to undertake a "good offices" mission if necessary.
 
It will be the first visit by a high-level UN official to the North since 2011.