김정은 북한 국방위원회 제1위원장이 만든 '북한판 걸그룹' 모란봉악단이 베이징(北京) 공연을 위해 10일 오전 베이징역에 도착했다.
모란봉 악단은 9일 평양에서 전용열차 편으로 단둥(丹東)에 도착한뒤 오후 6시30분 중국 일반기차로 갈아타고 선양(瀋陽)을 거쳐 10일 오전 8시30분 베이징 역에 도착했다.
합창단과 악단은 100명 이상의 대규모로 구성됐으며 최휘 조선노동당 중앙위원회 제1부부장이 인솔하고 있다.
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(Yonhap) |
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N. Korea's all-female pop group arrives in Beijing
North Korea's all-female pop group Moranbong Band, hand-picked by the North's young leader Kim Jong-un, arrived in Beijing on Thursday for a six-day "friendship" tour, in the latest sign of warmer ties between the allies.
The North Korean band, led by Choe Hwi, first vice-department director of the North's ruling Workers' Party, arrived at the Beijing railway station earlier in the day.
The band, known for wearing short skirts and playing electronic violins, was formed in 2012 following an order of Kim, will perform in the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing starting Saturday for three days, marking its first performance in a foreign country.
Political ties between North Korea and China were strained following North Korea's third nuclear test in early 2013.
However, there have been signs of improvement since Liu Yunshan, the Chinese Communist Party's fifth-ranked official, visited Pyongyang in October and held talks with the North Korean leader Kim.
China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Wednesday that the North Korean band's visit to China would help the allies deepen mutual understanding and friendship.
"North Korea is our close neighbor, and we continue to develop our bilateral ties," Hua said. "We believe such people-to-people exchanges in various forms are conducive to our mutual understanding and friendship." (Yonhap)
