Officials of the two Koreas will meet at the Gaeseong Industrial Complex on Tuesday for the first time under the South's Lee Myung-bak administration.

The Unification Ministry said Monday that the meeting comes in response to the North’s request last week for direct inter-Korean contact. The ministry said a delegation led by Gaeseong Industrial Complex Director General Kim Young-tak will leave for the business park on Tuesday.

According to the ministry, the South's delegation is hoping to discuss with North Korean officials ways to secure the safety of South Koreans working at the complex while promoting stable development of the industrial park.

When the North proposed the meeting, it said it would notify Seoul of "a matter of grave importance" during the discussions.