The next and fifth round of six-party talks involving the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States is expected in Beijing in November.
"North Korea will attend the fifth round of six-party talks as scheduled, based on the commitments it has previously made," Kim said shortly after Hu arrived by plane in Pyongyang, according to Chinese state television.
"North Korea adheres to a nuclear-free Korean peninsula, and adheres to a solution of the issue through dialogue," Kim was quoted as telling his Chinese guest.
Hu, in North Korea on a three-day visit, advised Kim not to veer from the road of dialogue, according to the report.
"China stresses the need to stick to the objective of a nuclear-free peninsula, and stick to a course of dialogue and peaceful resolution, so as to preserve peace and stability on the peninsula and in the region," he said.
Earlier in the day, Hu was welcomed by Kim, dressed in a bulky jacket, and a young woman who treated the Chinese leader to a hearty embrace, Chinese state TV showed.
Hu was shown driving to downtown Pyongyang behind a police motorcycle escort riding in a carefully choreographed formation as masses of North Koreans dressed in traditional costumes lined the road.
Hu's main mission is to convince his hosts of the need to stick to commitments they made in nuclear talks in Beijing in September, and China's own stake in the game ensures that he will be speaking forcefully, analysts said.
"This is critical to China's image as a rising power and its credibility and ability in delivering results," said Jing-dong Yuan, an expert on Asian non-proliferation at California's Monterey Institute of International Studies.
"But most important, failure would completely rupture the six-party process, which in turn could lead to further deterioration of the peninsular and indeed Northeast Asian security situation," he said.
At the last round of talks, North Korea agreed to a statement of principles that could potentially end the prolonged stand-off.
Under the principles, North Korea would give up its nuclear weapons program in return for energy and security guarantees.
But soon after agreeing to the statement, Pyongyang said it would not dismantle its nuclear arsenal before the United States supplies it with a light-water atomic reactor to generate electricity.
The United States says North Korea, a self-avowed nuclear power, must first disarm before getting incentive bonuses, including the nuclear reactor.
The signs that the entire deal could yet unravel may put Hu in an awkward situation, as it is likely he only agreed to visit the impoverished country after it promised to be more forthcoming.
"The North Koreans have been trying to get Hu to make a reciprocal visit for over a year but he had held off until the six-party talks were resumed," said Ralph Cossa, president of Honolulu-based think tank Pacific Forum CSIS.
"I assume this was part of the 'incentives' that got Pyongyang back to the table and then got them to sign the statement in September."
If North Korea back-pedals at the next round of talks, it could trigger the rage even of China, arguably its oldest and most reliable ally.
"China's patience is running thin," said Cossa. "The risk to Hu in going is that if North Korea plays games at the next round in early November, it also discredits China's and Hu's personal diplomacy skills."