Clad in red coats with a small North Korean flag on the left breast and black fur hats, the North Korean art troupe waved and smiled to reporters after finishing its Wednesday morning rehearsal at Gangneung Arts Center in Gangneung, Gangwon Province.

North Korea’s art troupe delegation is headed by Kwon Hyok-bong, director of the Arts and Performance Bureau in North Korea’s Culture Ministry and Hyun Song-wol, the leader of the all-female Moranbong Band and Samjiyon art troupe.

The 140-member Samjiyon art troupe arrived in South Korea via the North’s ferry Mangyongbong-92 on Tuesday at 5 p.m. The Samjiyon art troupe consists of an orchestra, dancers and singers.

Over 200 North Korean cheerleaders arrived in South Korea Wednesday by road at 9:28 a.m.

With the Olympics kicking off on Friday, the North Korean art troupe is set to showcase highly anticipated performances, slated for Thursday at Gangneung Arts Center in Gangwon Province and Sunday at the National Theater of Korea in Seoul. 

Photos by Yonhap
Written by Catherine Chung (cec82@heraldcorp.com)