SEOUL - South Korea has agreed to allow a group of Buddhists to visit the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Saturday, the first religious visit since two deadly border incidents last year prompted Seoul to suspend exchanges with Pyongyang, the unification ministry said Friday.

Thirty-seven Buddhists from the Jogye Order, the largest Buddhist order in the country, will pay a five-day visit to a DPRK temple to jointly hold a service, according to the unification ministry here.

The approval was given on the ground that the visit will be of a purely religious nature, the ministry, which oversees inter- Korean affairs, said in a statement.

The delegation includes Venerable Jaseung, the head of the Jogye Order.

Seoul suspended nearly all exchanges with Pyongyang following the two incidents, but has recently hinted at its willingness to improve cross-border ties.