British Ambassador to Pyongyang David Slinn says he and seven other foreign officials on Thursday will visit the site of a mysterious explosion in North Korea's Ranggang Province.

Slinn said he and diplomats from the Czech Republic, the European Union, India, Mongolia, Poland, Russia and Sweden have been given permission to visit the site of last week's massive blast, which Pyongyang claims was part of demolition work to remove a mountain for a hydroelectric project.

North Korea's Foreign Minister Paek Nam-sun earlier agreed on Monday to accept visiting British Foreign Office Minister Bill Rammell's request that foreign diplomats be allowed to visit the site.