By Kim Eun-young and Lee Hana

A South Korean art troupe will perform two concerts in Pyongyang ahead of the South-North Korean summit planned for late April.

The two Koreas held working-level talks at the Panmunjom truce village on March 20 to discuss the art troupe's visit to North Korea from March 31 to April 3. It has been agreed that the concerts will be held at the East Pyongyang Grand Theater and at the Ryugyong Jong Ju Yong Gymnasium, both in the North's capital.

The talks were held between Yoon Sang, a singer-songwriter and the chief delegate for the South Korean art troupe, and his counterpart Hyon Song-wol, the director of the Samjiyon Orchestra who led the North Korean art troupe during the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games.

According to a statement released by the Ministry of Unification, the 160-member art troupe will include icons of South Korean pop music, including Cho Yong-pil, Lee Sun-hee, Choi Jin-hee, Yoon Do-hyun, Baek Ji-young, Red Velvet, Jungin, Seohyun and Ali.

A preliminary inspection team from the South will visit Pyongyang from March 22 to 24 to address practical issues, such as stage conditions, equipment and installations, with the North. The two sides agreed to resolve further practical matters through document exchanges via the Panmunjom communications channel.

South Korea decided to send an art troupe and a taekwondo demonstration team to Pyongyang when the South's special envoys met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on March 5.

eykim86@korea.kr