This photo released by North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) shows Sigmar Gabriel, second on the left, former minister for foreign affairs of Germany, in a meeting with North Korea's Ri Su-yong, center on the right, chairman of the North's Foreign Affairs Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly, in Pyongyang, Monday. KCNA-Yonhap

By Jung Da-min

Germany's federal lawmakers are visiting North Korea to spur exchanges between the North and the international community.

A delegation of members of Germany's Social-Democratic Party, led by Sigmar Gabriel, former chairman of the party and the country's former minister for foreign affairs, arrived in Pyongyang, Monday, North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

The German politicians were greeted by Ri Su-yong, chairman of North Korea's Foreign Affairs Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly.

During their meeting, the former leader of Germany's Social-Democratic Party presented a gift for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the KCNA said, without giving further details on the meeting or the gift.

In addition, eight members of the German-Korean Parliamentary Friendship Group, including Katharina Landgraf, a member of the ruling Christian Democratic Union, are also planning to visit North Korea in late May, according to the Korean service of Radio Free Asia, a U.S. funded broadcaster.

The group is planning to discuss a wide range of topics with their North Korean counterparts, including politics, culture and human rights and also visit various facilities, according to the report.

In July 2017, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and South Korean President Moon Jae-in pledged to cooperate in promoting peace on the Korean Peninsula, saying bringing North Korea back to negotiations was important.