S Korean musicians arrive in Pyongyang for concerts

Seoul: K-pop stars led a group of South Korean musicians arriving in Pyongyang on Saturday to take part in the latest set of cross-border cultural performances ahead of next month’s rare inter-Korean summit. The 120-member group including top girlband Red Velvet flew from Seoul’s Gimpo airport aboard a chartered civilian flight to Pyongyang via the rarely used direct air route between the two Koreas, as a rapprochement on the peninsula gathers pace. “This performance in Pyongyang will add momentum to inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation that resumed with the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics” in the South, said Culture Minister Do Jong-Hwan, who led the group. They were greeted on arrival at Pyongyang airport by Do’s counterpart Pak Chun-Nam as well as Hyon Song-Wol, founder of the North’s popular all-female Moranbong band, the South’s Yonhap agency reported. — AFP