A South Korean delegation has met with North Korea‘s leader Kim Jong-un, for the first time since he took power.

Envoys for the South Korean President, Moon Jae-in, arrived in Pyongyang for a two-day visit aimed at easting tensions between the two Koreas, and encouraging the North and the US to enter into talks.

While both North Korea and the US have expressed a willingness to talk, Washington has maintained the North must first give up its nuclear weapons programme, while the North says it will not sit down under preconditions.

Chung Eui-yong (centre), head of the presidential National Security Office, leaves with the delegation for Pyongyang (Getty) (Jung Yeon-Je-Pool/Getty Images)

The reclusive state is also concerned about joint US-South Korea military exercises due to start next month, which it considers a preparation for war.

North Korea has made no secret of its pursuit of a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the continental US.

South Korean officials in the first known high-level visit to North Korea in around a decade ( AP) (South Korea Presidential Blue House/Yonhap via AP)

The 10-member delegation was led by Mr Moon’s national security director, Chung Eui-yong.

North Korea Military Parade Show all 6 1 /6 North Korea Military Parade North Korea Military Parade In this image made from video released by KRT on Feb. 8, 2018, a military parade is held at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, Thursday, Feb. 8 2018, just one day before South Korea holds the opening ceremony for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. (KRT via AP Photo) AP North Korea Military Parade This screen grab taken from North Korea's KCTV on February 8, 2018 shows members of North Korea's military taking part in a parade, with missiles being displayed, in Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang. North Korea staged a military parade in Pyongyang on February 8 to mark the 70th anniversary of its armed forces, in a show of strength just a day before the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games open in the South. / AFP PHOTO / KCTV / KCTV / -----EDITORS NOTE --- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / KCTV" - NO MARKETING - NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS - NO ARCHIVESKCTV/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images North Korea Military Parade In this image made from video released by KRT, North Korean soldiers march during a military parade in Pyongyang, Thursday, Feb. 8 2018. North Korea held a military parade and rally on Kim Il Sung Square on Thursday, just one day before South Korea holds the opening ceremony for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. (KRT via AP Photo) AP North Korea Military Parade In this image made from video released by KRT on Feb. 8, 2018, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, inspects honor guards, along with his wife Ri Sol Ju, center, during a military parade in Pyongyang, Thursday, Feb. 8 2018. North Korea held a military parade and rally on Kim Il Sung Square on Thursday, just one day before South Korea holds the opening ceremony for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. (KRT via AP Photo) AP North Korea Military Parade In this image made from video released by KRT on Feb. 8, 2018, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, watches the military parade in Pyongyang, Thursday, Feb. 8 2018. North Korea held a military parade and rally on Kim Il Sung Square on Thursday, just one day before South Korea holds the opening ceremony for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. (KRT via AP Photo) AP North Korea Military Parade This screen grab taken from North Korea's KCTV on February 8, 2018 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaking during a military parade in Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang. North Korea staged a military parade in Pyongyang on February 8 to mark the 70th anniversary of its armed forces, in a show of strength just a day before the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games open in the South. / AFP PHOTO / KCTV / KCTV / -----EDITORS NOTE --- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / KCTV" - NO MARKETING - NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS - NO ARCHIVESKCTV/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images

It was the first known high-level visit by South Korean officials to the North in around a decade.

Before leaving for Pyongyang, Mr Chung said he would relay Mr Moon’s hopes for North Korean nuclear disarmament.

“I will certainly deliver President Moon’s firm resolve to achieve a denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and genuine and permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula,” Mr Chung said.

He said he would push for “indepth” talks to find ways to help arrange the restart of dialogue between Pyongyang and Washington.

Trump announces some of the 'largest sanctions' on North Korea at CPAC 2018

Mr Chung’s delegation includes intelligence chief Suh Hoon, and vice-unification minister Chun Hae-sung.

The presidential Blue House said the high-profile delegation was meant to reciprocate the trip by Kim Jong-un’s sister, Kim Yo-jong, who became the first member of the North’s ruling family to visit South Korea since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce.

Later this week, Mr Chang and Mr Suh are due to fly to Washington to brief US officials on the talks.