South and North Korea will hold a meeting of their chief liaison officers on Friday, a unification ministry official said, amid speculation that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un could visit Seoul before year's end. 

Vice Unification Minister Chun Hae-sung and his North Korean counterpart, Jon Jong-su, will meet at the joint liaison office in the North's border town of Kaesong, according to the official. Chun and Jon serve as co-heads of the office launched in September to secure a channel for round-the-clock communication.

"There will be a meeting between the co-heads today," the official said.

He did not elaborate on what they will discuss during Friday's meeting.

When the office was launched, the two agreed to hold a weekly meeting to discuss cross-border issues but it has not been held as promised on a weekly basis. The last time Chun and Jon met was Nov. 9, the official said.

The meeting draws keen attention amid speculation that North Korean leader Kim could visit Seoul before the end of the year.

In a summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in September, Kim promised to visit Seoul "at an early date" to reciprocate Moon's trip to Pyongyang. (Yonhap)