Kim Jong Un’s girl band quit China show

China wants to keep pushing ahead with cultural exchanges with North Korea, China’s foreign ministry said, after an all-female North Korean pop group formed by leader Kim Jong Un abruptly cancelled a Beijing concert and went home.

The Moranbong Band was visiting China along with North Korea’s State Merited Chorus and was due to perform at Beijing’s National Centre for the Performing Arts last Saturday.

China’s official Xinhua news agency said the performance could not be staged due to “communication issues at the working level”.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a daily news briefing he had nothing to add to the Xinhua report.

“China pays great attention to cultural exchanges with North Korea and is willing along with North Korea to keeping pushing co-operation forward on all levels, including cultural exchanges,” Hong added.

Speculation has swirled about the reason for the cancellation.

South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said the North Koreans may have cancelled the show after China decided to send a lower ranking delegation in protest over Kim’s apparent claim last week that the North possesses a hydrogen bomb.