(2nd LD) Moon, Kim attend N. Korea's propaganda mass games

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with Moon watching the event with North Korean leader; CHANGES dateline; ADDS photos)

SEOUL/PYEONGYANG, Sept. 19 (Joint Press Corps-Yonhap) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in watched a controversial mass gymnastics performance in Pyongyang late Wednesday on the second day of his trip, alongside North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

As the two leaders entered the May Day Stadium, the venue of the performance, together at about 9 p.m, some 150,000 Pyongyang citizens cheered and gave them an emotional standing ovation. The cheers became louder when Moon waved his hands toward the crowd.

The leaders then sat down and began watching the performance.

Moon was to deliver a speech to the people gathering there before the show begins. The speech will be broadcast in South Korea from 10:20-30 p.m., according to Seoul officials.

North Korea unveiled the propaganda performance titled the "Glorious Country" on Sept. 9 to commemorate its 70th founding anniversary.

Known as an upgraded version of the Arirang mass games, last held in 2013, the show involves tens of thousands of performers staging a spectacular display of acrobatics, gymnastics, dances and flip-card mosaic animations.

"There could be content that welcomes our president (in the performance) and the title could be changed," said Yoon Young-chan, the senior secretary to President Moon for public relations during a press briefing in Seoul.

The event is mostly aimed at extolling the North's leaders and the socialist system, so it is regarded as a major propaganda tool. It has caused controversy over violations of human rights as a large number of children are usually mobilized for intensive training.

In 2007, then-South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun faced criticism from conservatives at home after he attended the Arirang performance during his trip to Pyongyang for a summit with then-North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. Roh watched the event along with Kim Yong-nam, the North's nominal head of state.

Apparently in consideration of such concerns, Yoon said that the North has made efforts to "reflect our stance."

Media reports showed that the performance unveiled on the North's founding anniversary appears to be short on anti-U.S. slogans, which used to be a mainstay of the previous mass games. Instead, it occasionally signaled leader Kim's stepped-up efforts on diplomacy.

The latest performance drew attention as it used drones, lasers and other colorful and state-of-the art techniques, which experts say might demonstrate the North's strong commitment to science, technology and economic development.

In particular, a large screen composed of car sections showed images related to the April 27 summit talks between Moon and Kim. The performance is likely to run until Oct. 10, the anniversary of the establishment of the North's ruling party.

kokobj@yna.co.kr
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