NK artistic troupe arrives in South
By Kim Bo-eun
A North Korean artistic troupe arrived in the South on the ferry Mangyongbong-92, Tuesday, for performances ahead of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
The vessel crossed the sea border between the Koreas at around 9:50 a.m. and arrived at Mukho Port near Gangneung in Gangwon Province on the east coast at around 5 p.m.
The North's Korean Central Broadcasting Station reported Kim Yo-jong, ― sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and a member of the Workers' Party's political bureau ― was among high-level officials seeing the troupe off from Pyongyang.
The troupe took a train from Pyongyang to the eastern coastal city of Wonsan to board the vessel to the South.
The troupe led by Hyon Song-wol, a pop singer and a powerful female figure in North Korea, will perform in Gangneung, Thursday. The 9,700-ton vessel, which houses a cafeteria, bathrooms and entertainment facilities, will serve as their accommodation.
The troupe will rehearse and prepare for their performances here. A 23-member advance team arrived a day earlier with instruments, sound and lighting equipment via a land route.
The vessel faced sanctions placed by South Korea on the North in May 2010, banning vessels that have departed from the North from entering South Korean waters and ports.
However, the South Korean government decided to make an exception for the ferry on the occasion of the Olympics. Last week, the government also exempted a charter plane from a South Korean airline from sanctions, to enable it to bring North Korean athletes to the South.
The government is considering providing food, oil and electricity for the vessel, according to a unification ministry official, Tuesday.
"The provisions will be made according to precedents, such as when the vessel came to the South for the 2002 Asian Games," the official said.
Back then, the Mangyongbong-92 brought a North Korean cheerleading squad to Busan and served as their accommodation.
The vessel is not subject to U.S. sanctions.
"The government will continue to negotiate with the international community so no controversies arise over possible sanctions violations," the official said.
The vessel was constructed in North Korea in 1992 marking the 80th birthday of Kim Il-sung, the country's founder and grandfather of incumbent leader Kim Jong-un, with 40 billion won in financial support from a pro-North Korea association of Koreans based in Japan.
The vessel delivered cash and other forms of goods from members of the association to North Korea, running between Japan's Niigata Prefecture and Wonsan.
However in 2006, after a missile launch by the North, Japan imposed sanctions that banned the ferry from entering its waters.
After the Gangneung performance, the troupe will move to Seoul for its performance there on Sunday, and stay at the Walkerhill Hotel. The Koreas have yet to finalize when the vessel will return to the North.
The government opened seats for the Gangneung and Seoul performances to the public, receiving applications for random selection.
Over 150,000 people applied for the 1,560 seats opened to the public. The list of selected people was posted on the Interpark website, Tuesday.
The 140-member troupe is composed of an 80-member orchestra, as well as dancers, singers and support staff.
Their program has not yet been disclosed, but the North earlier said it is considering performances of pop and folk songs, as well as other classics. An inter-Korean performance will be unlikely, the ministry official said, citing the lack of time to practice.
On Wednesday, four National Olympic Committee officials, a 229-member cheerleading squad, a 26-member taekwondo demonstration team and 21 reporters will arrive from North Korea.
A North Korean artistic troupe arrived in the South on the ferry Mangyongbong-92, Tuesday, for performances ahead of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
The vessel crossed the sea border between the Koreas at around 9:50 a.m. and arrived at Mukho Port near Gangneung in Gangwon Province on the east coast at around 5 p.m.
The North's Korean Central Broadcasting Station reported Kim Yo-jong, ― sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and a member of the Workers' Party's political bureau ― was among high-level officials seeing the troupe off from Pyongyang.
The troupe took a train from Pyongyang to the eastern coastal city of Wonsan to board the vessel to the South.
The troupe led by Hyon Song-wol, a pop singer and a powerful female figure in North Korea, will perform in Gangneung, Thursday. The 9,700-ton vessel, which houses a cafeteria, bathrooms and entertainment facilities, will serve as their accommodation.
The troupe will rehearse and prepare for their performances here. A 23-member advance team arrived a day earlier with instruments, sound and lighting equipment via a land route.
The vessel faced sanctions placed by South Korea on the North in May 2010, banning vessels that have departed from the North from entering South Korean waters and ports.
However, the South Korean government decided to make an exception for the ferry on the occasion of the Olympics. Last week, the government also exempted a charter plane from a South Korean airline from sanctions, to enable it to bring North Korean athletes to the South.
The government is considering providing food, oil and electricity for the vessel, according to a unification ministry official, Tuesday.
"The provisions will be made according to precedents, such as when the vessel came to the South for the 2002 Asian Games," the official said.
Back then, the Mangyongbong-92 brought a North Korean cheerleading squad to Busan and served as their accommodation.
The vessel is not subject to U.S. sanctions.
"The government will continue to negotiate with the international community so no controversies arise over possible sanctions violations," the official said.
The vessel was constructed in North Korea in 1992 marking the 80th birthday of Kim Il-sung, the country's founder and grandfather of incumbent leader Kim Jong-un, with 40 billion won in financial support from a pro-North Korea association of Koreans based in Japan.
The vessel delivered cash and other forms of goods from members of the association to North Korea, running between Japan's Niigata Prefecture and Wonsan.
However in 2006, after a missile launch by the North, Japan imposed sanctions that banned the ferry from entering its waters.
After the Gangneung performance, the troupe will move to Seoul for its performance there on Sunday, and stay at the Walkerhill Hotel. The Koreas have yet to finalize when the vessel will return to the North.
The government opened seats for the Gangneung and Seoul performances to the public, receiving applications for random selection.
Over 150,000 people applied for the 1,560 seats opened to the public. The list of selected people was posted on the Interpark website, Tuesday.
The 140-member troupe is composed of an 80-member orchestra, as well as dancers, singers and support staff.
Their program has not yet been disclosed, but the North earlier said it is considering performances of pop and folk songs, as well as other classics. An inter-Korean performance will be unlikely, the ministry official said, citing the lack of time to practice.
On Wednesday, four National Olympic Committee officials, a 229-member cheerleading squad, a 26-member taekwondo demonstration team and 21 reporters will arrive from North Korea.
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