The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency has left for a two-day visit to North Korea from Tuesday.

A source close to the United Nations agency said Mohamed ElBaradei hopes to finalize a timetable for an inspection to verify by mid-April that the communist state has shut down its nuclear facility in Yongbyon, including a plutonium fuel plant.

In last month's six-way nuclear agreement, North Korea agreed to shut down and seal nuclear reprocessing and other facilities for eventual dismantlement, and accept all monitoring and verification activities as required by the watchdog.

Pyongyang requested ElBaradei's visit late last month.