hankyoreh

Sept. 12. (Korea Central News Agency Yonhap)

By Park Min-hee, Beijing Correspondent　

“As a human being and musician, I would like to see North Korea and South Korea moving closer to one another in a more natural way.”

These were the sentiments voiced to journalists Monday by Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra music director and UNICEF goodwill ambassador Chung Myung-whun at Beijing’s Shoudu Airport, where he was preparing to board an airplane bound for Pyongyang in his first visit to North Korea.

“It would be great if the current situation [on the Korean Peninsula] changed through music,” Chung said, adding that he also hoped good project possibilities would emerge through his visit, such as holding inter-Korean exchange recitals.

“I hope this will also be a good opportunity to teach music to North Korean children,” Chung said.

North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Chung and his party arrived in Pyongyang on Monday, but did not make reference to the specific goals or itinerary of his visit.

Chung requested permission to visit North Korea for discussions with its committee on artistic exchange over music education for North Korean children and exchange performances by the two countries’ symphony orchestras. Approval was granted by the Ministry of Unification.

In 2006, Chung was scheduled to attend the Isang Yun Peace Festival in Pyongyang to conduct the Isang Yun Ensemble in a performance of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, but the visit was canceled just before the performance due to a nuclear test by North Korea. Chung has frequently stated that after music, unification is the thing he most desires

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