North Korea will send its nominal head of state and other senior officials to South Korea this week for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.

The Unification Ministry said that North Korea informed the South on Sunday night that Kim Yong-nam, the President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, will visit the South leading a 22-member delegation for the trip.

The high-level delegation's three-day visit will start on Friday, when the opening ceremony of the Olympics will be held in Pyeongchang. 

The North said the delegation will also include three officials and 18 supportive staffers, but did not provide details of the three officials.

Kim Yong-nam is referred to as North Korea’s nominal head of state while the regime is completely controlled by leader Kim Jong-un.