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.
