Korean talks to focus first on art troupe

SEOUL, South Korea — The rival Koreas agreed Saturday that their talks this week will address a North Korean art troupe’s visit to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in the South, rather than the participation of the nation’s athletes.

Pyongyang wanted talks on sending its athletes and other officials to the February Olympics to be held at a later date so Monday’s talks can focus primarily on the North Korean art troupe’s participation in the games, Seoul’s Unification Ministry said. The South agreed to the North’s proposal, the ministry said.

Officials from both sides met last week in the border village of Panmunjom, their first talks in more than two years. At that meeting they agreed to hold military talks and send a North Korean delegation to the Olympics.

Seoul’s delegation to Monday’s meeting at Panmunjom will be an official from its Culture Ministry, the head of the Korean Symphony Orchestra and its art director, and an official from the Unification Ministry, the ministry said.

They will meet a delegation from Pyongyang headed by the director of the arts and performance bureau of the North’s Culture Ministry. A conductor and two other officials from a North Korean orchestra will be part of the delegation.