The government is known to be discussing with Japan a visit to Tokyo next month by former high-ranking North Korean official Hwang Jang-yop, who defected to South Korea in 1997.

The Japanese daily Tokyo Shimbun says the Japanese government is considering asking Hwang to give information on Pyongyang and attend a Diet session if he visits Japan.

Hwang is a former secretary of the ruling North Korean Workers' Party and used to be a close aide to North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.

Japan's minister in charge of abductions Hiroshi Nakai visited Seoul in October last year to seek cooperation in arranging Hwang's visit to Japan. At the time, the South is known to have responded that it will review the request after confirming Hwang's wishes.