South Korean journalists will leave for China as scheduled to attend North Korea's dismantling of its nuclear test site, despite the North's lack of response to Seoul's list of journalists. 

The joint press corps comprising eight reporters will depart for China on Monday and wait for their visa issuance and approval from the North Korean Embassy in Beijing.

The Unification Ministry had planned on sending a telephone message via the truce village of Panmunjeom on Friday to inform the North of the list of reporters, but the North refused to accept the notification without giving a reason. 

North Korea said earlier this month that it would publicly dismantle its Punggye-ri nuclear test site between May 23th and 25th and invite journalists from the United States, South Korea, China, Russia and Britain to witness the process.