North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is sending his personal girl band, Moranbong, to China in a bid to improve relations the reclusive country’s main ally.

The songstresses, who are thought to be hand-picked by Kim, will perform at Beijing’s National Centre for the Performing Arts from Dec. 12-14, reports China’s Xinhua agency.

China has traditionally been an ally to North Korea, but relations between both countries became strained after the young despot conducted the country’s third nuclear test in 2013.

According to North korea’s official news agency KCNA, the all-female group are to give “friendship performances in China.” It is hoped that the band will “contribute to deepening friendship and boosting the cultural and artistic exchanges between the peoples of the two countries.”

The announcement comes ahead of Thursday’s discussion by the U.N. Security Council on the alleged human rights abuses in the country.

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