It turns out that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un did extend a message of condolence to President Moon Jae-in over the death of his mother, despite the current frosty inter-Korean relations.
According to the top office,... it was delivered the day after she died.
Our Park Hee-jun has more. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent his "deep condolences" over the death of President Moon Jae-in's mother Kang Han-ok, according to the presidential office on Thursday.
"North Korean leader Kim Jong-un delivered a message of condolence on Wednesday to President Moon. He expressed his deep condolences over the death of the President's mother, Kang Han-ok. The message was sent through Panmunjeom yesterday afternoon, and it was delivered directly to the President at Namcheon Cathedral in Busan late last night."
The Blue House did not specify which North Korean official brought the message.
But according to a senior Blue House official, it was not Kim Jong-un's sister Kim Yo-jong,... who went to the inter-Korean truce village in June to commemorate the death of the late First Lady Lee Hee-ho, wife of former president Kim Dae-jung.
The official also said no other discussions took place on other issues during the exchange.
This is the first contact between Moon and Kim in four months,... since their face-to-face with U.S. President Trump at Panmunjeom in June.
Inter-Korean relations have been uneasy, with Pyeongyang constantly criticizing Seoul over its joint military exercises with Washington,... and blaming the South Korean government for the lack of progress in the joint projects promised last year.
The question is whether this could signal the possibility of renewed dialogue between the two Koreas,... coming at a time when the South is pushing to hold working-level talks to discuss the removal of old facilities at Geumgangsan Mountain.
The Blue House, however, remains cautious in its interpretation.
President Moon's mother passed away at a hospital in Busan on Tuesday.
She died at age 92.
After a three-day funeral, a Catholic mass was held Thursday,... attended by a number of top government officials and politicians.
Pope Francis also sent his condolences, sending his blessings to Moon's family and all those at the mass.
Kang has been laid to rest at a burial site in Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do Province,... where the president's father is also buried.
"President Moon expressed gratitude to everyone who gave their support and condolences. Cutting his leave short due to pending issues at the Blue House,... he will return to his duties on Friday. Park Hee-jun, Arirang News."