North Korea to send advance party to prepare for Winter Olympics in South

North Korea on Friday proposed to send a team of artists to South Korea this weekend as an advance party to prepare for planned acts during the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games.

Pyongyang plans to send a seven-member group headed by Hyon Song-Wol, leader of the most popular North Korean music band and promoted by Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un himself, to visit the facilities where their shows are planned in Seoul and Gangneung -- about 168 kilometres east of the capital -- said the South Korean Ministry of Unification, reports Efe.

The advance group is expected to travel to South Korea by land and stay in the country for two days, explained the Ministry, which will give an answer after studying the proposal.

During the work meeting held by Seoul and Pyongyang Monday -- in which Hyon herself participated -- they agreed the North will send an artistic group of 140 members (orchestra, singers and dancers) who will perform several concerts and performances during the Olympics celebrations.

This group will be part of the North Korean delegation for the Winter Games, to be held February 9-25, which also includes some 230 cheerleaders, athletes and officials.

The cheerleading brigades have been present at other sporting events held on South Korean territory, including the Busan Asian Games in 2002 and the Asian Athletics Championships in Incheon in 2005, although in smaller numbers.

The PyeongChang Olympics have been the framework chosen by the two Koreas to initiate a rapprochement after months of tension on the peninsula due to Pyongyang's repeated weapons tests.

Seoul and Pyongyang have held two work meetings in the last two weeks to discuss details of the games -- the first held after more than two years and have also agreed to resume high-level talks, some of which Seoul aspires to be able to maintain on a regular basis.

--IANS

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