Clapton invited to play North Korea gig

Rock legend Eric Clapton has been invited by North Korean officials to play a gig in the Communist country - to teach its people about the music of the Western world.

The guitar great, 62, has become the first Western musician to receive such an invitation to hold a concert in the capital city of Pyongyang, in a move diplomats hope will help to build cultural ties with foreign countries.

An unnamed official says: "Eric Clapton is a well-known musician and guitarist, famous throughout the world.

"It will be a good opportunity for Western music to be understood better by Koreans."

Clapton's representatives have yet to comment on the invitation, although the 'Layla' singer is reported to have agreed a tentative deal for 2009.