PYEONGCHANG (AFP) - The sister of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, who is on a historic visit to the South for the Winter Olympics, shook hands with Seoul's President Moon Jae In at the opening ceremony on Friday (Feb 9).

Kim Yo Jong, the first member of the North's ruling dynasty to visit the South since the end of the Korean War in 1953, met Moon when he arrived for the opening ceremony in a pentagonal arena in Pyeongchang.

Earlier, Moon and the North's ceremonial head of state Kim Yong Nam met and shook hands ahead of the ceremony.

Kim Yong Nam, who is officially leading Pyongyang's diplomatic delegation to the Games, met Moon at a leaders' reception in Pyeongchang.

Moon and his wife received their guests one by one and the two men smiled as they shook hands in a relaxed manner.

Kim Yong Nam is the highest-level Northern official ever to visit the South, and was meeting his third South Korean president after participating in North-South summits in Pyongyang in 2000 and 2007.

On his left lapel, he wore a badge depicting the North's founder Kim Il Sung and his son and successor Kim Jong Il, Kim Jong Un's father.

Moon and his wife Kim Jung Sook both wore lapel badges of Soohorang, the dancing white tiger mascot of the Winter Games.