On Tuesday, Ri's first appearances on the television broadcast came as she walked down from an exit of an airport passenger terminal along with her husband, leader Kim Jong-un, at about 10:07 a.m. ahead of the welcoming ceremony.

Unlike Kim, who wore a rather tense facial expression at first, she had a bright natural smile on her face. 

As soon as the North's first couple turned up at the airport, the North Korean military honor guard began playing music and North Korean civilians enthusiastically waved plastic flowers, their national flags and the unified Korean Peninsula flags.

Ri clasped hands with her South Korean counterpart, Kim Jung-sook, bowed to her and exchanged greetings after Kim stepped off her plane with President Moon Jae-in.

Ri then shook hands with Moon after watching the South Korean first lady and Kim Jong-un exchanging greetings. Moon was spotted smiling brightly as Ri talked to him.

The first ladies then walked down the red carpet talking with each other closely after their husbands as they inspected the military honor guard.

The North Korean leader's younger sister, Kim Yo-jong, was also spotted at the ceremony.

Wearing a black skirt suit with a white blouse and carrying a handbag in one hand, Kim, a deputy department head of the North's ruling Workers' Party, looked busy directing the event with a tense facial expression.

She greeted Moon and his wife with a big smile after the first couples finished talking to each other. She showed her strong presence as she walked after the first couples. (Yonhap)