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About The Asian reporter. (Portland, Or.) 1991-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 5, 2018)
ASIA / PACIFIC February 5, 2018 Head of popular girl band leads North Korean team to South Korea By Hyung-Jin Kim THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 5 GRASS-FED BEEF FOR SALE The Associated Press S EOUL, South Korea — The head of a hugely popular North Korean girl band last month crossed the heavily fortified border into South Korea to check preparations for rare performances by an art troupe she also leads during the Winter Olympics. Appearing live on South Korean television, Hyon Song Wol didn’t speak when she walked past a crowd of reporters, onlookers, and a barrage of camera flashes before boarding an express train at Seoul’s railway station for the eastern city of Gangneung, where her art troupe is scheduled to perform during the PyeongChang Olympics. She is the leader of Pyongyang’s all-female Moranbong Band, which was handpicked by leader Kim Jong Un. She’s been the subject of intense South Korean media attention since she attended talks at the border that struck an agreement on the 140-member Samjiyon art troupe’s two performances — one in Seoul and the other in Gangneung, where some of the games will take place. After the talks, North Korea said Hyon would also lead the Samjiyon art troupe, whose performances would be the first by a North Korean group in South Korea since 2002. With no official media access given to Hyon, TV stations broadcast live footage of her bus moving on Seoul’s roads before arriving at the railway station, where hundreds of police officers were mobilized to maintain order. Photos showed a smiling Hyon shaking heads with a South Korean official upon arrival at the border. Later, wearing a dark winter coat and fur scarf and with half her hair tied to the back, she looked more serious with an expressionless face. Hyon’s arrival came hours after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) allowed 22 North Korean athletes to take part in the Olympics in exceptional entries given to the Call (503) 980-5900 for details GRASS-FED & GRASS-FINISHED BEEF Farm-raised in Newberg, Oregon Beef available as: q Quarter cow q Half cow q Whole cow ALL-FEMALE BAND. Hyon Song Wol, the head of the hugely popular North Korean all-female Moranbong Band (pictured), recently crossed the heavily fortified border into South Korea to check preparations for rare performances by an art troupe she also leads during the Winter Olympics. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E, File) North. Among the 22 are 12 women singers, and dancers, is part of North who are joining South Korea’s female Korea’s Olympic delegation that also hockey team in the Koreas’ first-ever includes athletes, officials, journal- unified Olympic team. The other ists, and a taekwondo demonstration sports events the North Koreans will team. compete in are figure skating, short- Hyon was a popular singer before track speed skating, Alpine skiing, she was appointed to lead the and cross-country skiing. Moranbong Band, which serves as The 22 North Korean athletes will the “soft” public face of the Kim march together with South Korean government. Its members in short players under a single “unification skirts and high heels or stylish flag” depicting their peninsula during military uniforms sing and dance the opening ceremony in Pyeong- odes to Kim. There is speculation that Chang. “Such an agreement would some of the Moranbong members have seemed impossible only a few may also appear with the Samjiyon weeks ago,” IOC chief Thomas Bach art troupe, which observers say was said in Lausanne, Switzerland. likely hastily formed ahead of The current mood of reconciliation Olympics-related talks with South between the Koreas flared after Kim Korea. abruptly expressed his willingness to Under a deal with South Korea, the improve ties and send a delegation to Samjiyon group is to play folk songs the Olympics during his annual New and classic masterpieces that are Year’s address. Outside critics dis- well-known to both Koreas and fit in missed Kim’s overture as a tactic to with the theme of unification. An use improved ties with Seoul to attempt by the group to perform any weaken U.S.-led international sanc- propaganda piece would trigger tions over North Korea’s advancing protests from conservatives in South nuclear and missile programs. Korea. The Moranbong Band can- Hyon, who is also an alternate celled its planned 2015 performance member of the ruling party’s Central in Beijing at the last minutes after Committee, travelled with six other Beijing wanted to replace a missile North Koreans. launch scene from the background of The Samjiyon art troupe, which the stage, according to South Korea comprises orchestra members, media. North Korean flag flies in South before Olympic Games opens By Hyung-Jin Kim The Associated Press G ANGNEUNG, South Korea — In a rare sight, North Korean flags flew in South Korea in late January as the South prepares for the Winter Olympics that has brought a temporary lull to tensions surrounding the North’s nuclear program. The Olympic village in Gangneung turned into a selfie site as volunteer workers posed under a North Korean flag that has been raised in the country for the first time since a hockey tournament in April last year. North Korean flags were also raised at the other athletes’ village in PyeongChang and stadiums in both PyeongChang and Gang- neung where North Korean athletes are expected to compete during the games, according to Pyeong- Chang’s Olympic organ- izing committee. North Korea is sending 22 athletes to the Pyeong- Chang Games that start this week, including 10 North Korean skiers and skaters who arrived in the South via a rare flight between the war-separated rivals. Twelve North Korean female ice hockey players were already in the South practicing with their South Korean teammates for a unified team that will compete during the Olym- pics. “It feels amazing (that they are coming),” said Choi So Eun, a 21-year-old college student who volun- teered for translation and other work during the Olympics, during an inter- view at the Gangneung athletes’ village. Choi Sangyoung, another volun- teer worker, said he hopes Continued on page 7 PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE Enhanced Transit Corridors Monday, February 19 th , from 5:30pm – 7:30pm Montavilla United Methodist Church, 232 SE 80 th Ave. How can we increase the speed and reliability of public transit on Portland’s streets? The Portland Bureau of Transportation and TriMet are working together to create an Enhanced Transit Corridors Plan to increase transit capacity, reliability and speed on the TriMet Frequent Service network. Come to our last open house to learn about the draft plan, ask questions and provide feedback to 3%27 VWD 7DNLQJ 7UDQVLW" 1HDUE\ OLQHV Present at ion begins at 6:00pm Learn more and provide feedback online: www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/ETCplan ྸ䴶䈣䀶㘱䈇θ䈭ᢉ 3DUDVROLFLWDULQW«USUHWHSRUIDYRUOODPHDO 0X͎Q\¬XF̤XWK¶QJG͈FKYL¬QYXLO´QJJ͊LV͎ ƯǛǕǒnjNJǖǗǏǘNjǟǘǎǒǖǥǝǛǕǝǍǒǙǏǚǏnjǘǎǡǒǔNJǑnjǘǗǒǜǏǙǘǜǏǕǏǞǘǗǝ 7KH &LW\ RI 3RUWODQG FRPSOLHV ZLWK DOO QRQGLVFULPLQDWLRQ &LYLO 5LJKWV ODZV LQFOXGLQJ &LYLO 5LJKWV 7LWOH 9Ζ DQG $'$ 7LWOH ΖΖ To help ensure equal access to City programs, services and activities, the City of Portland will reasonably modify policies/ SURFHGXUHVDQGSURYLGHDX[LOLDU\DLGVVHUYLFHVWRSHUVRQVZLWKGLVDELOLWLHV&DOO77<RU2UHJRQ 5HOD\6HUYLFHZLWKVXFKUHTXHVWVRUYLVLWKWWSELWO\(:D&J Beef is processed by a Portland butcher. Pickup available March at N.E. Sandy Blvd. location. Killingsworth Station Food Cart Pod Experience a collection of food carts featuring a variety of international flavors! 1 Siam Kitchen Authentic Thai cuisine Special-roasted Thai coffee and tea Curry dishes, Pad Thai, Drunken Noodles, and more Vegetarian substitutions – tofu or seitan – available on all dishes Hash it Out Specialties: Corned-beef hash & Pulled-pork sandwiches “The Wrap” w “The Vegan” w “The Reuben” w and more Breakfast dishes served until 4:00pm Green City Smoothies Specialties: Healthy, plant-based smoothies, toast & oatmeal. All menu items feature locally sourced seasonal fruits and vegetables and nutritious superfoods. La Puerta Salvadorian cuisine Specialties: Pupusas, Tamales, Carne Asada, Fried Plantains Bark City BBQ Specialties: Banana pudding, milkshakes, Texas brisket Try our “Pitmaster’s Nap” – Beer-link smoked turkey, pulled pork & ribs, choice of 2 sides, and cornbread Rose City Slammin Sandwiches Specialties: Empanadas, Cuban sandwiches, Arroz con gandules (rice & beans) Euro Dish Traditional Polish cuisine Specialties: Pierogi, kielbasa, blintzes, stuffed cabbage rolls, and more Mystical Eats Bulgarian cuisine Specialty salads: Greek, beet (free taste samples) Tehuana Mexican Oaxican cuisine Featuring Mole Enchiladas, Tacos, Burritos & more Best new Mexican Burrito/Taco Food Cart in Portland (Willamette Week, 2016) 1331 N. Killingsworth Street, Portland (1 block east of N. Interstate Avenue) Celebrate the Year of the Dog! February 16, 2018 to February 4, 2019