The Foreign Ministry here confirmed Monday that North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Su-hon will visit Paris April 1-4 to discuss bilateral diplomatic normalization.

The ministry said Choe would contact French legislators and businessmen during his stay.

Officials added that Choe's visit is within the framework of political dialogue that has been in progress between North Korea and France since last year. A French Foreign Ministry official in charge of Asian Affairs went to Pyongyang last November as a member of a European Union (EU) delegation.

North Korea and the EU states have been forging diplomatic ties under the latter's engagement policy. Pyongyang now has full ties with 13 of the 15 EU member nations with France and Ireland the only exceptions.