North Korean leader Kim Jong Un professed to be « deeply moved » after South Korean pop stars performed in his country’s capital.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un professed to be « deeply moved » after South Korean pop stars performed in his country’s capital as part of a significant thaw in inter-Korean relations.
« We should hold culture and art performances frequently, » Kim told the performers, according to South Korean reporters traveling with the artists.
Video and photos from the event showed Kim applauding and waving at the artists, including some K-pop performers.
His wife, Ri Sol Ju, and hundreds of other citizens watched the rare performance, sometimes waving in time with the music. After the two-hour performance, the North Koreans gave a thunderous standing ovation.
The group of some 160 South Korean artists flew to Pyongyang on Saturday for two performances in the North Korean capital.
Sunday’s concert entitled « Spring Is Coming » was held in the 1,500-seat East Pyongyang Grand Theater, and showcased an elite lineup of performers, including veteran vocalists Cho Yong-pil, rock star Yoon Do-hyun and the popular K-pop girl band Red Velvet.
The performance came just weeks before Kim is due to meet with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on April 27, highlighting lessening tensions between the rivals after years of friction over the North’s nuclear program.
The North Korean concertgoers — most of the men in dark suits but some women in colorful traditional « hanbok » dresses — waved their hands from their seats when the South Korean stars sang the popular « Our wish is unification.
