Michael Rank at the excellent website North Korea Zone reports:
A Woodstock-style rock festival in Pyongyang – you cannot be serious, but apparently it’s for real.
A British-based website called Voice of Korea has announced “ROCK FOR PEACE’ [which] will be the 2007 version of Woodstock rock festival in 1969 but in a different location and with a different goal, We welcome every musician as long as they are purely music based without political intentions. ”
“This is the very first time in history that North Korea allows western musicians in the heart of DPRK territory to play capitalist popular music. There are few restrictions and conditions on participation but any band will be considered even though you are from USA.
The lyrics should not contain admirations on war, sex, violence, murder, drug, rape, non-governmental society, imperialism, colonialism, racism, anti-DPRK, and anti-socialism.”
The festival is the brainchild of a certain Jean-Baptiste Kim, who is apparently a French national who was born in South Korea.
There’s more at NK Zone – Woodstock in Pyongyang — it’s for real apparently. You also read about the concert at the Voice of Korea website where you can find links to all kinds of stuff, as well as an announcement from Jean-Baptise Kim about famous North Korea restaurants that plan to open stores in Europe.