Concert in Pyongyang

[Anchor Lead]

With just over a week before South Korean musicians stage a concert in Pyongyang, government officials visited the North Korean capital yesterday to hold a preliminary inspection. The participating artists are planning a joint rehearsal on March 28th. Furthermore, talks are underway to send a taekwondo demonstration team to North Korea along with the artist group.

[Pkg]

Choi Jin-hee the South Korean recording artist known for hits like "The Maze of Love," known to be favorite of late former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il will cross the border again to put on her fourth performance in the regime, in nine daytime. She last put on a show in the North 13 years ago at the 2005 Mount Geumgang concert.

[Soundbite] Choi Jin-hee(Singer) : "How great it would be for us to sing North Korean songs and vice versa."

The visiting musicians are preparing a show that remind the two Koreas we are one. Rock band YB is preparing to perform a song titled "1178," referring to the distance of 1178 kilometers between the southernmost and the northernmost spots on the peninsula. Participating artists, including Cho Yong-pil, who will start celebrating his 50-year music career in Pyongyang, and Red Velvet, the youngest members in the group, are looking to hold a joint rehearsal on March 28th. A government preliminary inspection team, headed by senior presidential aide Tak Hyun-min, went to Pyongyang yesterday to check out the concert facilities. Talks are also underway to have the country's taekwondo demonstration team visit North Korea on the 31st and return on April 3rd, together with the artist group.