A litter of puppies was born earlier this month by a hunting dog given to South Korean President Moon Jae-in by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and the first photos of the dogs were shared by the South's presidential Blue House on Sunday (Nov 25), reported Channel News Asia.

Gomi and Songkang, two Pungsan dogs, were given to Moon by Kim in September to mark their third meeting this year in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang.

A photo of the six pups - piled in a furry heap - was shared in a tweet which said that they were born on Nov 9. The mother, Gomi, and her puppies are all very healthy, the tweet added.

There was also a photo of President Moon and First Lady Kim Jung-sook with the baby animals in the president's lap, taken at their home in Seoul.

"As the pregnancy period of dogs is about two months, Gomi must have come to us pregnant," the Korea Herald had reported Moon as saying. 

"As six were added to the two given as a gift, this is a great fortune. I hope inter-Korean affairs will be like this."

Days after the puppies were born, South Korea flew military planes filled with tangerines to Pyongyang, BBC reported.

There has been a rapid diplomatic thaw on the Korean peninsula with Moon playing a key role in brokering a historic meeting between Kim and US President Donald Trump in Singapore in June. 

Both Koreas have taken steps towards warmer ties since, with Moon addressing the North Korean public at the Arirang Games in Pyongyang in mid-September.

Moon, an animal lover, now owns nine Pungsan dogs on top of the one that he had before, the Korea Herald also said.

 The Pungsan, which originates in a mountainous region of the North, is the most prized dog breed in North Korea. It was bred to hunt tigers and other wild animals.

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