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| North Korea's friendship art delegation to China, led by Ri Su-yong, a member of the Political Bureau and vice chairman of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, is seen off by senior committee officials including Kim Ki-nam, Kim Yo-jong, Kwon Hyok-bong, Ri Chang-gun and others on Wednesday in Pyongyang, in this photo released by the country's state-run Korean Central News Agency. KCNA-Yonhap |
By Jung Da-min
North Korea's top art delegation arrived in Beijing on Thursday.
The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) Thursday morning reported that the delegation, led by Ri Su-yong, a member of the Political Bureau and vice chairman of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, left Pyongyang Wednesday afternoon.
The delegation includes the State Merited Chorus and leading artistes in Pyongyang.
The official performance schedule is yet to be announced.
The art troupe's visit is the first in three years after the cancellation of the Moranbong Band's performance in December 2015.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to watch the performance.
The North's Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) newspaper Rodong Sinmun said Thursday that the visit was made at the invitation of the International Liaison Department at the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
The art exchange is part of the two countries' efforts to boost friendship after North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un and President Xi's fourth meeting in early January.
Meanwhile, the delegation was seen off by senior officials of the Central Committee of the WPK, including Kim Ki-nam, Kim Yo-jong, Kwon Hyok-bong and Ri Chang-gun, among others.
As Kim Ki-nam's name came before that of Kim Yo-jong ― Kim Jong-un's sister ― in the North's media reports, it is speculated he has made a political comeback. His name was excluded in the list of the top leadership at the second plenary meeting of the seventh WPK Central Committee in October 2017.
Kim, born in 1929, has worked in the media and public information fields since the days of the country's founder and first leader Kim Il-sung.
