A prominent South Korean conductor said Friday he agreed with Pyongyang officials to push for holding a joint performance of the two Koreas' symphony orchestras on a regular basis.
Chung Myung-whun, who leads the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and also serves as a UNICEF "goodwill ambassador," returned home Thursday after a four-day trip to North Korea aimed at promoting cultural exchanges and easing tensions.
"We agreed to push for a regular performance of a joint symphony orchestra of the two Koreas," Chung told reporters.
The performances, if realized, will be alternately held in Seoul and Pyongyang, and the orchestra will be composed of the same number of players from each side, he said.
The 59-year-old maestro also said he agreed with Pyongyang officials to run a program to cultivate up-and-coming young musicians in the North.
During his stay in Pyongyang, Chung said he conducted a rehearsal of performances by the North's State Symphony Orchestra and the Unhasu Orchestra, and auditioned seven talented members of the latter orchestra. He said he also watched a concert by the state orchestra.
"I had the rehearsal for about seven hours. The quality of North Korean musicians is high in terms of techniques," he said. "Next year, I'd like to gather the North's young artists and practice and perform together with them for about ten days or two weeks, not just one or two days."
His trip comes amid lingering tensions over North Korea's two deadly attacks on the South last year.
Seoul imposed sanctions on the North last year in retaliation for the sinking of its warship, which was blamed on the North. Still, South Korea has selectively approved trips to the North by its citizens and humanitarian aid to the North.
South Koreans are not allowed to travel to North Korea without government approval.
The Seoul orchestra stressed the purpose of the trip was purely for civilian cultural exchanges so the conductor did not meet any high-level North Korean official during the visit. (Yonhap)