North Korean propaganda team on rare trip to UK, France, Hong Kong

By Jung Da-min

North Korean propagandists are making a rare overseas trip with its purpose and other details shrouded in secrecy.

The delegation led by Vice Chairman Jo Yong-sam of the DPRK Information Committee left on Saturday to visit Britain, France and Hong Kong, the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Saturday.

The DPRK Information Committee is a non-permanent organization committed to state-level public relations. DPRK is the acronym for North Korea's official name, Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

It was the committee members' first overseas trip in four years ― the most recent trip was to Singapore and Qatar in 2014 ― according to KCNA. It did not provide further details.

The trip is widely seen as an effort to improve the North's ties with other countries in sync with its recent peace overtures.