Artists of two Koreas to perform together in Pyongyang on April 3: officials

South Korea's art troupe will perform together with North Korean artists in one of the two rare concerts slated for early next month in Pyongyang, Seoul officials said Saturday.

On Tuesday, South Korea agreed to send a 160-member art troupe to North Korea for rare concerts ahead of the inter-Korean summit scheduled for late April. The group, including celebrated K-pop singers, such as Cho Yong-pil, Red Velvet and Seohyun, will visit Pyongyang from March 31 to April 3 for two performances.

Tak Hyun-min, a protocol presidential aide to President Moon Jae-in, told Yonhap News Agency upon his arrival in Beijing from a three-day trip to Pyongyang to arrange the shows, that the South Korean art group will hold an individual concert on April 1 and a joint concert with North Korean artists on April 3.

Tak Hyun-min, a protocol presidential aide to President Moon Jae-in, on Saturday arrived Beijing from a three-day trip to Pyongyang to arrange the shows. (Yonhap)

He also said the title of the two concerts was set to be "Spring Comes" and that there is a chance the number of South Korean performers may rise.

Tak led a six-member advance team of government officials and experts who were sent to check venues of the upcoming performances.

While in Pyongyang, the team had discussions with their North Korean counterparts on details of the performance schedules and programs, according to Seoul officials.

They said the team also checked lighting and sound quality of the East Pyongyang Grand Theater and the Ryugyong Jong Ju Yong Gymnasium, where the troupe will perform, and the Koryo Hotel, where the performers are expected to stay.

Tak and his team are scheduled to fly into South Korea's Incheon International Airport from Beijing in the afternoon.

The government is pushing for a plan to charter a plane so the artists can fly directly into Pyongyang from Seoul over the Yellow Sea, according to the officials.