Moon welcomes North Korea's figurehead at Olympic reception

President Moon Jae-in, right, shakes hands with North Korea's ceremonial head of state Kim Yong-nam at the welcoming reception for VIP guests of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics' opening ceremony in Yongpyeong, a town located just east of PyeongChang, Friday. / Joint Press Corps

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday greeted North Korea's ceremonial head of state Kim Yong-nam, the highest-ranking North Korean official to visit South Korea.

The brief meeting came in Yongpyeong, a town located just east of PyeongChang, the host city of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.

Moon hosted a reception dinner for heads of state and other global leaders there for the opening of the Winter Olympics.

The two shook hands before having their photograph taken together as part of the protocol for an event hosted by the South Korean leader, according to pool reports.

The reception involved around 200 other people, including 20 heads of state and global leaders such as U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Kim arrived in South Korea earlier in the day as the head of a 22-member North Korean delegation to the PyeongChang Olympics. The high-profile delegation also included North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's younger sister, Yo-jong.

Both Kim Yong-nam and Kim Yo-jong were expected to attend a Saturday meeting with Moon, possibly at Moon's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul. (Yonhap)