NK Concert in New York

[Anchor Lead]

A song praising North Korea and the Kim Jong-un household rang loud at a concert hall in Manhattan last week. Local media say the American audience was duped into attending.

[Pkg]

This melody is known as the song of Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea.

[Soundbite] "Great comrade Kim Jong-un, we will only follow you!”

This very song resonated loud and clear at a concert hall in the heart of New York.

[Soundbite] “Great comrade Kim Jong-un...”

It was during a concert hosted by a pro-orth Korean organization held on the night before the North's Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho was scheduled to speak at the UN General Assembly the next day. The concert was the only civic event planned during the minister's visit to New York. Minister Ri and North Korean diplomats attended the event and caught up with pro-North Korean figures in the U.S. Performing at the concert was the Ureuk Symphony Orchestra led by conductor Ri Jun-mu who makes regular travels to Pyongyang and is the president of a pro-North Korean group, representing the eastern United States. On some Web sites, the concert was advertised as a classical performance playing songs of Rachmaninov and Brahms. Some audience members bought the tickets thinking it was a classical music concert. However after about 90 minutes into the show, the Kim Jong-un praise song was played as an encore. Then 3 songs were consecutively played without the lyrics, all hailing North Korea and the Kim family dynasty. The concert was designed to welcome Minister Ri and his entourage. The Wall Street Journal said that audiences and even some performers were duped and gave standing ovation to North Korean propaganda.