U.S.-based musical group performing in N.K.

ATLANTA (AP) ― A musical group from the Atlanta area is traveling to North Korea for a series of performances during that country’s spring arts festival.

Members of the 150-member Sons of Jubal chorus and orchestra will perform at the Spring Friendship Art Festival, which started Wednesday and runs through April 19. Global Resource Services, an Atlanta-based humanitarian group, is coordinating the cultural exchange.

``The theme of the festival is friendship, and with the conflict between our countries we always think any way we can try to build goodwill people-to-people that’s private, not government, is a good thing to do,” said Global Resource Services President Robert Springs.

The festival attracts between 600 and 800 performers a year from up to 60 countries.

The trip comes as North Korea fueled up a rocket Wednesday in preparation for what appeared to be an imminent liftoff that North Korean officials have characterized as a peaceful civilian bid to send a satellite into space. The United States, Japan, Britain and others say the launch would constitute a provocation and would violate U.N. Security Council resolutions banning North Korea from developing its nuclear and missile programs.

This marks the fourth time Springs’ organization has sent musical performers to North Korea.

The nonprofit is also working to bring the North Korean National Symphony Orchestra to the U.S. this summer for an 18-day visit that would start in Atlanta and end in New York.