The UN atomic agency IAEA has begun consultations with North Korea over a possible visit to the country by its inspectors to monitor its nuclear activities, a spokeswoman said Thursday. This comes as neighbour South Korea prepares to host a nuclear security summit in Seoul next week, with Pyongyang’s atomic programme likely one of the hot topics. “I can confirm that the IAEA has started consultations with the DPRK (North Korea) about its invitation,” International Atomic Energy Agency spokeswoman Gill Tudor told AFP by phone Thursday. She could not yet say however when the consultations would end and when the inspectors’ visit to the isolated country might take place. North Korea expelled UN inspectors in 2009, but announced earlier this week that it had invited them back to monitor a nuclear freeze deal with the United States. On February 29, Pyongyang had agreed to suspend its uranium enrichment programme, along with long-range missile launches and nuclear tests, in return for 240,000 tonnes of US food. It also promised to readmit IAEA inspectors after a three-year absence.