There appeared to be no major breakthrough from the Saturday meeting that came as the North's delegation made a surprise visit to the close of the Asian Games in the South Korean port city of Incheon.
However, the countries agreed to hold another round of talks between the end of October and the beginning of November, according to a South Korean statement.
The specific topics of the discussions aren't known.
Still, the fact they took place is significant in allowing valuable contact between confidants of North Korea's authoritarian leader and senior South Korean officials after a year of insults between the divided neighbours and an unusual number of missile and rocket test firings.
One analyst has called it a "golden opportunity" for South Korean President Park Geun-hye to test North Korea's willingness to improve shaky ties.
The South Korean statement said Park had been willing to meet with the Pyongyang officials but the North Koreans were running out of time because they had to attend the Games' closing ceremonies on Saturday evening.
South Korea said its prime minister, largely a figurehead but technically the No. 2, met with the delegation later on Saturday.
The North Koreans were led by Hwang Pyong So, the top political officer for the Korean People's Army and considered the second most important official after supreme leader Kim Jong Un.
Hwang and his delegation earlier had a closed-door lunch meeting with South Korean Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae and national security director Kim Kwan-jin.
The visit comes amid rumours about the health of Kim Jong Un, who has made no public appearances since September 3.
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