North Korean Red Cross officials left Pyongyang Tuesday to attend the 15th general assembly of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies opening in Seoul Friday.

A South Korean Red Cross official on Tuesday said the delegation, led by vice chairman of the North's Red Cross, Baek Yong-ho, could stay in Beijing for one or two days before coming to Seoul on Thursday at the latest.

Some one-thousand representatives of international organizations from one hundred-81 countries are scheduled to attend the eight-day gathering. South Korea is hosting the event to mark the centennial anniversary of its national Red Cross.