Seoul, Feb 5 (IANS): North Korea is to send the head of its parliament to South Korea for the start of the Winter Olympics, the South Korean Ministry of Unification said on Sunday.

Kim Yong-nam, the President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea, would lead a group of government representatives travelling to the South between February 9 and 11, said the Ministry's statement according to Efe news.

The purpose of the visit would be assist with the Winter Games, the statement added, and in addition to Kim, three North Korean governmental delegates and 18 other officials are to help with the PyeongChang games.

The trip is set to coincide with a visit by US Vice President Mike Pence, scheduled to touch down in South Korea on February 8.

In January, the two Koreas -- which have technically been at war for 65 years -- signed a historic agreement paving the way for athletes from the North to be able to compete in the games.

Athletes from the North and the South will march under the Korean Unification Flag during the inaugural procession of the Olympics.

Besides athletes, North Korea has also agreed to send hundreds of musicians and entertainers to the games, which end February 25.