Russian Officials and Ballet Performers Engage North Korea

The troupe for the Primorsky branch of the Mariinsky Theatre, visiting North Korea as part of the Russian Ministry of Culture delegation, performed the ballet Sleeping Beauty at the Mansudae Art Theatre on the 20th, as the Korean Central News Agency reported on the 21st.

Before the performance, Oleg Kozhemyako, the governor representing the Primorsky Territory delegation, and Deputy Minister Malyshev, head of the Ministry of Culture delegation, made congratulatory remarks stating, “This performance by the art troupe was realized under the deep interest of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, Comrade, and the Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Kim Jong Un, Comrade,” reminding that Chairman Kim had seen a performance of “Sleeping Beauty” during his visit to Vladivostok last year.

[yarpp]

They expressed confidence that “after the signing of the agreement on economic and cultural cooperation between Russia and North Korea, the friendship between the two countries has strengthened over the past 75 years, and the performance by the art troupe will serve as an important occasion for cultural exchange and the development of bilateral relations between the two countries,” as conveyed by the agency.

The performance was attended by North Korean Minister of Culture Sung Jeong-gyu, officials from central agencies, related sectors, artists, and students, as well as Oleg Kozhemyako, the governor of Primorsky Territory, Deputy Minister Malyshev of the Ministry of Culture, and other representatives from the Primorsky Territory and Ministry of Culture delegation, along with Alexander Matsegora, the Russian Ambassador to North Korea.

Officials from the diplomatic corps stationed in North Korea were also invited to the performance.