{"id":57661,"date":"2018-01-30T05:47:32","date_gmt":"2018-01-30T05:47:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=57661"},"modified":"2018-01-30T05:47:32","modified_gmt":"2018-01-30T05:47:32","slug":"north-korea-cancels-joint-cultural-performance-with-south","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/world-news\/north-korea-cancels-joint-cultural-performance-with-south.html","title":{"rendered":"North Korea cancels joint cultural performance with South"},"content":{"rendered":"

North Korea cancels joint cultural performance with South<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

North Korea has abruptly cancelled a cultural event scheduled to be held jointly with the South, Seoul has said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Set for 4 February at Mount Kumgang in the North, it had been part of a series of events ahead of the South’s hosting of the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.<\/span><\/p>\n

The events, and other links during the Games, were seen as a thawing of ties.<\/span><\/p>\n

A telegram from the North reportedly blamed “biased” and “insulting” media coverage in the South. South Korea said the decision was “regrettable”.<\/span><\/p>\n

It said the North should uphold all the agreements that had been made.<\/span><\/p>\n

Art performances and a taekwondo demonstration were among other events agreed with the North.<\/span><\/p>\n

The South’s unification ministry, quoted by the Yonhap news agency, said the North was also angry at media reports about a possible military parade it might hold on 8 February, a day before the opening of the Games.<\/span><\/p>\n

There have been concerns that the links between the Koreas could breach international sanctions in place against the North over its nuclear programme.<\/span><\/p>\n

The South had earlier said it would not pay airport fees to fly its skiers to Mount Kumgang as this would violate the sanctions.<\/span><\/p>\n

The two Koreas held rare high-level talks last month, leading to a rapprochement over the Olympics.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was agreed the nations would march under a unified flag, and that there would be a combined women’s ice hockey team, although it was reported on Monday the nations’ players were suffering linguistic problems over differences in hockey terminology.<\/span><\/p>\n

There will be 10 other Northern athletes at the Games, taking place between 9 and 25 February, in sports including cross-country skiing and figure skating.<\/span><\/p>\n

The North is also sending hundreds of delegates, cheerleaders and performers.<\/span><\/p>\n

The talks which resulted in the agreement came after tensions on the Korean peninsula reached their highest point in decades.<\/span><\/p>\n

North Korea has made rapid advances in its nuclear and conventional weapons programmes in recent years.<\/span><\/p>\n

Its latest ballistic missile test, on 28 November, sparked a series of fresh sanctions from the UN targeting petrol shipments and travel.<\/span><\/p>\n

Soon after, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said he was “open to dialogue”.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Source:-\u00a0http:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-asia-42863274<\/span><\/p>\n

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