News
S. Korea's Pyeongyang concert draws attention of foreign press
Apr 05,2018
The Washington Post publishes an article titled 'Kim Jong Un applauds South Korean pop stars in newest sign of diplomatic warming' on April 2, following a concert that took place in Pyongyang ahead of this month's Inter-Korean Summit. (Washington Post)
By Xu Aiying and Lee Hana
From April 1 to 3, a South Korean art troupe and taekwondo demonstration team staged their "Spring is Coming" performances in Pyongyang, North Korea. As expected, news of the visit has been followed closely by press from around the world, with the assessment that a mood of reconciliation has been created ahead of the Inter-Korean Summit scheduled for April 27.
The Washington Post published an article on April 2 titled "Kim Jong-un applauds South Korean pop stars in newest sign of diplomatic warming." Commenting on the fact that Kim Jong-un was the first North Korean leader to attend a K-pop concert, the article described the Pyongyang concerts as a turning point in inter-Korean relations.
The Wall Street Journal posted an article on April 1 titled "Seoul's Diplomatic Overture to North Korea Features K-pop." It stated that "After an Olympics outreach that helped spark a thaw between [the two Koreas], the newest tension-easing technique is K-pop diplomacy," and said that K-pop, which has emerged as an economic and cultural force across East Asia and elsewhere, has become a signifier of soft power in recent times.
On April 3, The Times published an article titled "Pop stars hit the right note in diplomatic show for Kim." Quoting North Korea's Korean Central News Agency, it said that Kim Jong-un was "deeply moved to see his people enjoying the pop concerts staged by South Korea" and that he appreciated this gift given to Pyongyang residents.
NHK publishes an article titled 'Korean singers perform with North Korean art troupe in Pyongyang' on April 3. (NHK)
News outlets across the rest of Asia and Europe also spotlighted the significance of the concerts.
Japan's NHK reported that, "The two Koreas are creating a reconciliatory mood ahead of the upcoming Inter-Korean Summit on April 27," while Vietnam's Tuoi Tre said that, "Following up on the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games, the two Koreas have bridged relations even further through music."
The Philippines' Business Mirror reported that, "Kim Jong-un's surprise visit to the K-pop concert is the latest diplomatic move ahead of the scheduled summit with U.S. President Donald Trump." Italy's La Repubblica stated that, "The South Korea art troupe, comprised of 11 singers, was tasked with thawing relations on the Korean Peninsula."
xuaiy@korea.kr