But in an indication of the North's anger at the hardline policies of President Lee Myung-bak toward Pyongyang, the group will leave on Saturday before the South's state funeral.
It will, however, meet the South's unification minister on Saturday in the North's first direct contact with a cabinet minster since Lee took office about 18 months ago, Yonhap news agency quoted a government official as saying.
The first dispatch of envoys to the South in nearly two years follows moves by the North this month to reduce tension after conducting a nuclear test in May, firing missiles and threatening to attack its capitalist southern neighbour.
China's Xinhua news agency said the country's chief nuclear envoy, Wu Dawei, had visited the reclusive North in the first such high-level trip to its capital since six-country disarmament talks broke down almost a year ago.
Wu met his counterpart, Xinhua said, but there was no report on whether he met the North's leader during the five-day stay.
China, the closest North Korea has to a major ally, backed the U.N. resolution condemning the North's May 25 nuclear test and imposing new sanctions, but has long been reluctant to press for more.
North Koreans Pay Respect
The six North Korean officials arrived by air. They went to a memorial for the former president and laid a wreath sent by Kim Jong-il and signed: "In memory of late President Kim Dae-jung."
Kim Dae-jung, awarded the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize for brokering the first summit between the two Koreas which led to a dramatic warming of ties, died on Tuesday aged 85. The funeral will be held on Sunday.
Relations chilled after conservative Lee took office and cut off a steady flow of unconditional aid to the North, calling on it to reduce security threats to the region if it wanted help.
The North's rare conciliatory moves could mean it wants greater contact with the outside world after being hit with U.N. sanctions for its nuclear test.
"The delegation's overnight stay and their political rank shows signs that they may be willing to talk over some current issues at hand," said Yang Moo-jin, an expert at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul.
Investors said the change in tone has eased their concerns that troubles could worsen and harm regional economies.
But North Korea has a long history of changes of tack in its diplomacy and few analysts believe it has any intention of giving up its dreams of building a nuclear arsenal.
Nuclear Threats
North Korea first signalled a change of tactics earlier this month when it released two jailed U.S. journalists after a visit by former U.S. President Bill Clinton to Pyongyang, where he met leader Kim Jong-il.
More than a week later, Kim met the head of the South's Hyundai Group, and said he wanted to restore suspended tourism and business projects run by a Hyundai affiliate.
He sent a message of condolence over Kim Dae-jung's death and his state ended border restrictions with the South imposed in December.
But the North's media has kept up heated rhetoric against Lee and threatening to unleash nuclear weapons if joint U.S. and South Korean military drills that started this week infringe on its territory.
Watch NTDTV report on "North Korean Delegation Honors Kim Dae-jung."
