North Korea's state media reported in detail Sunday on a meeting between the country's high-level delegation and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, saying the two sides had "a frank and candid talk about improving inter-Korean relations in "a sincere and cordial atmosphere."

The meeting took place on Saturday as the North's delegation, including Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and Kim Yong-nam, the country's ceremonial head of state, paid a visit to Moon at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.

During the meeting, Kim Yo-jong, in her capacity as special envoy of the North's leader, handed a personal letter from the leader to Moon and invited him to visit the North at a time convenient to him, according to South Korean officials.

"Moon Jae-in said at the talk that the current visit of the delegation of the North side created a spark of improving the inter-Korean relations and ensuring peace on the Korean peninsula and that he extends his heartfelt thanks to Chairman Kim Jong Un for providing today's significant occasion," the North's Korean Central News Agency reported.

The North's No. 2 leader, Kim Yong-nam, congratulated Moon on the successful opening of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics and "expressed gratitude to him for sitting together with them while dealing with a great event," KCNA said.

It also said that the leader's sister, who serves as first vice department director of the Central

Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, "courteously handed over his personal letter to President Moon Jae-in and verbally conveyed his intention."

Moon expressed "deep thanks" to the North's leader for sending the high-level delegation to the Olympics and for his personal letter and verbal greetings, KCNA said. Moon also asked the delegation to convey his gratitude to the North's leader, it said.

"After delivery of the personal letter, the DPRK delegation had a frank and candid talk with the south side over the issue of improving the North-South relations," it said. "The talk proceeded in a sincere and cordial atmosphere."

Moon expressed "the will to take one step after another for the common prosperity of the south and the north in close cooperation with each other, saying that the inter-Korean relations should be mended by the parties concerned at any cost as indicated by Chairman Kim Jong-un in his New Year address," KCNA said.

"Kim Yong-nam said that even unexpected difficulties and ordeals could be surely overcome and the future of reunification brought earlier when having a firm will and taking courage and determination to usher in a new heyday of inter-Korean relations," it said.(Yonhap)