Seoul: North Korean delegates arrived in Seoul on Sunday on their way to inspect venues and prepare cultural performances for next month's Winter Olympics, in the first visit by Pyongyang officials to the South for four years.
Television footage showed a group of seven officials led by Hyon Song-Wol, the leader of the North's popular Moranbong band, crossing the heavily-fortified border on a bus before arriving at Seoul train station about an hour later.
The stony-faced officials, surrounded by hundreds of Seoul police officers, were seen alighting from the bus before boarding a train bound for the eastern city of Gangneung, where one of the planned musical concerts is due to be held.
Hyon wore a dark coat and fur muffler as she boarded the train without talking to throngs of journalists at the station.
The visit is the first by Pyongyang officials to the South since before left-leaning South Korean President Moon Jae-In, who advocates dialogue with the North, took office last May.
The trip comes two weeks after the neighbours agreed to send Pyongyang's athletes and artistic troupes to the Winter Games, due to begin in the South's alpine resort of Pyeongchang on February 9.
The International Olympics Committee (IOC) on Saturday endorsed the deal, saying the North would send 22 athletes in sports ranging from figure skating to short-track speed skating.
Seoul and organisers hope that the Games, which they have promoted as "Peace Olympics," could ease tensions on the peninsula that surged to new heights in recent months over the North's nuclear standoff with the US.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Television footage showed a group of seven officials led by Hyon Song-Wol, the leader of the North's popular Moranbong band, crossing the heavily-fortified border on a bus before arriving at Seoul train station about an hour later.
The stony-faced officials, surrounded by hundreds of Seoul police officers, were seen alighting from the bus before boarding a train bound for the eastern city of Gangneung, where one of the planned musical concerts is due to be held.
The visit is the first by Pyongyang officials to the South since before left-leaning South Korean President Moon Jae-In, who advocates dialogue with the North, took office last May.
A group of seven officials were led by Hyon Song-Wol, the leader of the North's Moranbong band. (AFP)
Advertisement
Seoul and organisers hope that the Games, which they have promoted as "Peace Olympics," could ease tensions on the peninsula that surged to new heights in recent months over the North's nuclear standoff with the US.
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
North Korean Diplomat Defects From Cuba To South Korea: Report "Suicidal Hysteria": Kim Jong Un's Sister Hits Out At South Korea Military Drills North Korea Says It Tested Ballistic Missile Capable Of Carrying Super-Large Warhead Israeli Jets Strike Yemen Rebels After Deadly Attack On Tel Aviv Woman On Scooter With 2 Kids Punched, Left Bleeding In Pune Road Rage Case After Retest, Haryana NEET Centre With Most Top Scorers Gave This Result... 7 Bombs Defused In Imphal East District By Joint Army, Police Team 3.5-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Jammu And Kashmir 40 Killed In Rain-Related Incidents In Himachal Since Onset Of Monsoon Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.