Hyundai Group Chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun has met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. The North's state-run radio said Sunday that Hyun met with the North Korean leader over lunch earlier in the day.

The Korean Central Broadcasting Station said in its evening report that Kim Yang-gon, head of the United Front Department of the North's ruling Workers' Party, was also at the meeting.

The report said the North Korean leader had warm discussions with Hyun about memories of his meeting with other Hyundai officials who had visited the North.But the report did not say what official business was discussed during the meeting.

Hyun arrived in Pyongyang on Monday for a three-day visit to negotiate the release of a detained Hyundai Asan worker. The worker was released on Thursday after 136 days of detention in the North.

Hyun has extended her stay five times, waiting for a meeting with the North Korean leader.

Hyun may have requested the resumption of Hyundai Asan's stalled tours to the North's Mount Geumgang resort and Gaeseong. There is also speculation that she may have conveyed a message from the South Korean government to the North Korean leader, but the Seoul government denied the speculation, saying that Hyun's visit was only for business purposes.