DPRK leader Kim Jong-un watches Chinese ballet performance

Top DPRK leader Kim Jong-un (center) and his wife Ri Sol-ju (third from left) watch the ballet drama The Red Detachment of Women along with many other DPRK top officials at the East Pyongyang Grand Theater in Pyongyang on April 16. [Photo/Xinhua]

Top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Kim Jong-un and his wife Ri Sol-ju enjoyed the ballet drama The Red Detachment of Women staged by the National Ballet of China at the East Pyongyang Grand Theater in Pyongyang on April 16.

Other DPRK high-ranking officials including Choe Ryong-hae, Ri Su-yong and Kim Yong-chol, vice-chairman of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, also attended the event, along with more than 1,500 locals.

The sparkling performance of Chinese ballerinas took the audience's breath away. After the show and amid enthusiastic applause, Kim went to the stage to extend congratulations on its success and had a group photo taken with the performers.

Later, Kim met with Chinese officials, including Song Tao, head of the International Liaison Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee; Li Qun, vice minister of culture and tourism; Li Jinjun, Chinese ambassador to DPRK and major performers.

During the meeting, Kim once again expressed his gratitude to Chinese president Xi Jinping for sending such an outstanding art troupe to DPRK for cultural and artistic exchanges.

Top DPRK leader Kim Jong-un (second row center) and his wife Ri Sol-ju (fifth from right in the second row) pose for a group photo with other guests and all performers of the ballet drama The Red Detachment of Women at the East Pyongyang Grand Theater in Pyongyang on April 16. [Photo/Xinhua]

At the invitation of the DPRK side, the Chinese art troupe paid a visit to Pyongyang starting April 13 to participate in the 31st April Spring Friendship Art Festival. During their stay, they performed The Red Detachment of Women twice and were invited to attend the closing ceremony of the art festival.

On April 14, the art troupe staged Giselle, a romantic ballet, which was watched by Ri Sol-ju, Choe Ryong-hae and Kim Yong-chol.

The historic meeting of Chinese president Xi Jinping and DPRK leader Kim Jong-un in March yielded significant consensus on many issues. Therefore, the visit of the Chinese art troupe to DPRK in April is a major step to fulfill the consensus reached by top leaders of both countries and deepen the cultural cooperation of the two sides.

The Chinese art troupe enjoyed a warm welcome by the DPRK people and attracted coverage from the country's national media. "The Workers' Party of Korea and its government have received the visiting Chinese artists as their closest friends. The Chinese art troupe's visit is an important opportunity to demonstrate friendly relations between the two countries, inheriting traditions and consolidating development," the country's Workers' Newspaper reported.