Conservative South Korean activists yesterday burned a large photo of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, as the head of the North’s extremely popular girl band passed by them during her visit to Seoul amid a flurry of cooperation between the rivals ahead of next month’s Winter Olympics in the South.
Hyon Song-wol, a Pyongyang celebrity who heads the Moranbong Band handpicked by Kim, began a two-day visit on Sunday, triggering a media frenzy in South Korea about the woman who is also in charge of the North’s artistic performance during the Olympics.
It has been rare for such a high-profile North Korean figure to travel to South Korea in recent years as they saw their ties deteriorating over the North Korean nuclear standoff before they recently abruptly sought to improve ties this month ahead of the Feb. 9 to 25 Olympics.
Photo: Newsis via AP
After her visits to potential venues for North Korean performances in an eastern city, Hyon arrived back yesterday morning at the Seoul railway station where she saw about 150 to 200 activists rallying against her visit and recent inter-Korean rapprochement deals.
“Pyeongchang Olympics? We oppose Kim Jong-un’s Pyongyang Olympics,” they chanted, referring to the North Korean capital.
Hyon saw the activists, but did not react.
Photo: AFP
After she left the scene, the demonstrators used a blowtorch to burn Kim’s photo, a North Korean flag and a “unification flag” that athletes of the rival Koreas plan to carry together during the opening ceremony of the Olympics.
Police used fire extinguishers to quench the fire, but the activists later stamped on Kim’s photo and the flags, and burned them.
Seoul police plan to investigate the protesters, Yonhap news agency reported.
Hyon’s arrival has made her the subject of intense South Korean media attention, with photographers following her every move and TV stations aggressively reporting not only her career and band, but also her fox-fur muffler, boots and facial expressions.
The band, with the young women in short skirts and high heels dancing and singing odes to Kim, draws global attention even though little information is available about it or about Hyon to outsiders.
South Korean media say she is an army colonel and is close to Kim, but little else is known.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s administration sees North Korea’s participation in the Games as a way to calm tensions caused by Pyongyang’s recent nuclear and missile tests, and war of words with the US.
However, the South’s main conservative opposition party complained that “the Moon government is offering gracious hospitality to a North Korean army colonel as if she’s a queen.”
“Did they forget North Korea had until recently been threatening to turn South Korea into a sea of fire with its nuclear weapons and missiles?” a party statement said.
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College