2 Veteran Singers Slated to Perform in Pyongyang

Veteran singers Cho Yong-pil and Lee Sun-hee will perform in Pyongyang as members of a South Korean art troupe in early April. It will be the second time both have performed there.

"The proposal was made to me last weekend through an agency that was preparing for a nationwide concert tour to celebrate my 50 years in showbusiness," Cho said Monday.

The details will be worked out in cross-border talks this week.

The performance in Pyongyang "will interfere with my 50th anniversary celebration scheduled for May 12, but I agreed to take part because it's a national event," he added.

In 2005 Cho took the North Korean audience by storm with a solo performance in Pyongyang.

Lee's agency confirmed her participation in the performance in Pyongayng. She also performed at a concert there in 2003.

Conductor Chung Myung-whun and pianist Son Yeol-eum along with an indie band and a couple of idol groups are also expected to perform in Pyongyang.

Meanwhile, the ministry explained on Monday on why it picked Yoon Sang, a singer and record producer, to head the South Korean art troupe for the performance. "We selected him because he is well versed in diverse music genres that appeal to each generation," a spokesman said.