North Korean Troupe Is Cleared to Enter South’s Waters Before Games<br />5, 2018<br />SEOUL, South Korea — A 140-member arts troupe from North Korea plans to travel to South Korea this week by ferry, forcing<br />the South to temporarily lift its ban on all North Korean ships entering its waters, officials said on Monday.<br />But South Korea has cut off all trade with North Korea<br />and barred its ships from entering South Korean waters under sanctions it imposed following the sinking of a South Korean warship in 2010.<br />The arts troupe, comprising orchestra musicians, dancers<br />and singers, will arrive in South Korea on Tuesday on board the ferry Mangyongbong-92, said Baik Tae-hyun, a spokesman at the Unification Ministry, a South Korean government agency in charge of relations with North Korea.<br />South Korean officials said they were talking with their North Korean counterparts to ensure<br />that the North Korean troupe steers away from political messages during performances.<br />South Korea won an exception from Washington when its Asiana Air charter plane took South Korean<br />players to a North Korean ski resort last week for joint training with the North Koreans.<br />Mr. Baik said South Korea was talking with the United States and the United Nations to ensure<br />that the Mangyongbong-92’s visit to South Korea would not violate international sanctions.
