North Korean leader Kim watches performance by South Korean pop stars

Kim Jong Un meets South Korean performers after the first concert of their visit to Pyongyang. Photo / AP

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un clapped his hands and said he was "deeply moved" as he, his wife and hundreds of other citizens watched a rare performance by South Korean pop stars visiting Pyongyang. The concert highlights the thawing ties between the rivals after years of friction over the North's nuclear programme.

During the K-pop performance at the packed 1500-seat East Pyongyang Grand Theatre, North Korean concertgoers - most of the men in dark suits but some women in colourful traditional "hanbok" dresses - waved their hands from their seats when the South Korean stars joined together to sing a popular Korean song, Our Wish Is Unification.

After the two-hour performance ended, the North Koreans gave a thundering standing ovation.

A South Korean artistic group, including pop legends and the popular girl band Red Velvet, flew to Pyongyang over the weekend for two performances in the North Korean capital.

Kim, wearing a dark Mao-style suit, made a surprise visit to the performance with his wife Ri Sol Ju, sister Kim Yo Jong and other senior North Korean officials, including nominal head of state Kim Yong Nam. Kim Jong Un applauded during the event and shook hands with the South Korean performers. He also took a group photo with them after their performance.

Kim "said that he was deeply moved to see our people sincerely acclaiming the performance, deepening the understanding of the popular art of the South side", the North's Korean Central News Agency said.

"We should hold culture and art performances frequently," Kim told South Korean performers. Mentioning the performance's title, Spring comes, Kim also asked the performers to tell South Korean President Moon Jae In that the two Koreas should hold a similar event in Seoul in the autumn, according to South Korean media pool reports.

South Korean girl band Red Velvet after their performance in Pyongyang. Photo / AP

It was the first time for a North Korean leader to attend such a South Korean performance in the North.

During a past period of detente, South Korea occasionally sent pop singers to North Korea, but that stopped in 2005.

Red Velvet said in a post-concert interview that the North Koreans applauded enthusiastically.

Band member Seulgi said she cried when North and South Koreans sang together the song, Our Wish is Unification. Another member Yeri said she was "very" nervous when she exchanged handshakes with Kim Jong Un, but she said it was still "really, really an honour" to do so.

The South Korean group includes prominent singers such as Cho Yong Pil, Lee Sunhee and Cho Jin Hee, who all previously performed in Pyongyang.

The ongoing co-operation between the rivals began after North Korea took part in February's Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. A North Korean art troupe also travelled to the games and performed while there.

Kim is to meet South Korean President Moon at a border village on April 27 and President Donald Trump in May in separate summit talks.

Today, the South Korean K-pop stars plan to hold a joint performance with North Koreans.

- AP