DPRK's art troupe to arrive in S. Korea for performances celebrating Winter Olympics

SEOUL, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- A group of artists from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) was scheduled to arrive in South Korea later Tuesday to do the performances celebrating the South Korea-hosted Winter Olympics, Seoul's unification ministry said.

The passenger ferry Mangyongbong-92, carrying the DPRK's performing squad, was set to arrive at the Mukho Port in South Korea's eastern coast at around 5 p.m. local time (0800 GMT).

The ferry crossed the inter-Korean maritime border in the East Sea at about 9:50 a.m. local time (0050 GMT). It has been under the guidance of South Korea's convoy ship after crossing the border.

The 140-member Samjiyon orchestra is slated to hold concerts in Gangneung, an east city near PyeongChang where the 23rd Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games will be held, on Thursday and in South Korea's capital Seoul on Sunday to celebrate the Winter Olympics.

The PyeongChang Winter Olympics will kick off on Friday and last until Feb. 25. The Paralympic Games will run next month in the same venue.

During the high-level inter-Korean talks in January, the DPRK agreed to send its athletes, cheerleaders and artists to the South Korea-hosted winter sports event. Enditem