The United Nations’ Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman will visit North Korea for four days starting Tuesday, the United Nations announced. 

The visit by the UN’s political affairs chief comes amid heightened tensions, as the United States has vowed to impose additional sanctions against Pyongyang after it launched an intercontinental ballistic missile last week.

Feltman, a former US diplomat, will meet senior North Korean officials including Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho and Vice Foreign Minister Pak Myong-guk to discuss “issues of mutual interest and concern,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York on Monday.

North Korea invited Feltman in September during the UN General Assembly, and the trip was finalized last weekend, Dujarric said.

During his visit, which runs through Friday, Feltman will meet with UN staff and foreign diplomats, and visit UN project sites, Dujarric said, adding that Feltman was currently in Beijing.

It will be the first trip by a senior UN official to North Korea since his predecessor Lynn Pascoe visited in February 2010 and former UN aid chief Valerie Amos went in October 2011.

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had planned to visit the joint industrial park in Kaesong in May 2015, but the North abruptly canceled the visit.

North Korea watchers expect that Feltman’s visit might help bring Pyongyang back to the negotiating table or start discussions about a visit by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to the North.

Guterres has stressed that he is willing to play a mediator role to help de-escalate tension over North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs. 

By Kim So-hyun (sophie@heraldcorp.com)