hankyoreh

Mark Hall, creator and lead singer of American Christian rock band "Casting Crowns," is trying to learn Korean these days so he can sing in the language at a performance in North Korea's capital Pyongyang. It is not such an unusual undertaking for him because the Grammy Award-winning group recorded a North Korean song, in English, for their latest album released in August.

The band's connection to the communist state goes back to April when it went to Pyongyang to participate in an annual arts festival. The trip was arranged by Robert Springs, head of U.S.-based Global Resources Services, who is involved in various humanitarian projects in North Korea.

"There were a lot of nerves heading into it, and just because of what you don't know about a place, you seem to create your own reality sometimes," Hall said in a telephone interview with Yonhap last week.

"But when we got there, our nerves eased a lot. We were welcomed warmly. It was a good visit," he said of the band's eight-day stay in Pyongyang.

Hall said he was ready to go as soon as he heard of the chance to sing in North Korea.

"That very day, I was ready to go," he said, although others had some reservations, mainly because of the unknown. Megan Garrett, a vocalist, had to allay the concerns of her husband who ended up going to the North with the band.

The North Korean song on the album, "White Dove Fly High," is considered Pyongyang's anthem for national unification. South and North Korea fought the fratricidal Korean War from 1950-1953, with U.S. forces fighting with the South and the Chinese and Russian militaries aiding the North. The conflict ended with an armistice that left the Koreas technically in a state of war.

The Casting Crowns are in the middle of a national tour, and at every venue they show video clips of their Pyongyang performance.

Unfortunately, the album does not contain explanations of what the song is about and where it came from.

"Some people are going, 'what in the world is this,'" Hall said.

"When we tell them that we were in North Korea, they say, 'oh, North Korea', and then say, 'wait a minute, you mean South Korea.'" "It really created a buzz," said Hall.

The band members bonded with the North Korean guides who Hall said were very personable throughout the entire stay. One evening, the guides took them bowling.

"Before we went to North Korea, it was just a big dark place I didn't know anything about," the band leader said. "Now I actually know people. When I think of North Korea, I think of the people I met."

The Casting Crowns have a standing invitation from North Korea to come back and sing again at the annual festival.

"We are really looking forward to going back," Hall said.

"We just want to see peace between North and South. We are still learning about all that ourselves."

"Anytime, to be part in any small way in helping relationships of countries grow stronger, I am going to be there," said Hall.

"We are just happy to be a part of it."


WASHINGTON, Nov. 4 (Yonhap)