North Korea will send a delegation to the World Economic Forum for the first time in 18 years, with Foreign Minister Ri Su-Yong scheduled to attend this month's meeting in Davos, an official said Tuesday.  

"He's coming," North Korea's permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva, So Se-Pyong, told AFP when asked to confirm reports circulating in South Korean media about Ri's trip.

So, who gave the confirmation at the UN's European headquarters, made no comment about the motivation for the trip to the high-profile meet.

The World Economic Forum's annual meet, which was inaugurated in 1974, groups leading government, business and civil society leaders for talks at a Swiss alpine resort.

This year's forum runs from January 20 to 23.