ROK's ex-first lady begins DPRK visit

Lee Hee-ho arrives at Gimpo Airport in Seoul, Aug 5, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

Lee's spokesman quoted her as saying at the airport in Seoul, "I leave for Pyongyang with a hope that our people (of the ROK and the DPRK) heal the wounds and pain of the 70-year division and reconcile and cooperate with each other with the June 15 spirit."

It was her third trip to the DPRK. The last one was for the funeral of late DPRK leader Kim Jong-il, father of current leader Kim Jong-un, in December 2011 when Lee visited Pyongyang to offer her condolences.

On this trip, Lee is set to visit a children's hospital, a maternity home and an orphanage in Pyongyang. Her entourage includes no politicians or sitting government officials.

Seoul's unification ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs has said that Lee would visit Pyongyang in a personal capacity and that the ministry hadn't asked her to deliver any government message to the DPRK.

Speculation remained that Lee could meet with DPRK leader Kim Jong-un as the young leader invited her to his country last year.