The Moranbong Band is set for an international tour to rebuild damages caused by North Korea's missile and nuclear tests. State media reports that the all-girl ensemble will perform in China later this week.

The Moranbong Band has all the characteristics of a fabricated girl group: a brainchild of a prevailing Svengali, a mixture of sexy choreography and wardrobe with a little hint of Western pop culture.

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The 21 members of the band were reputedly handpicked by Kim Jong-un, reports Telegraph UK. State media reports that the tour is part of a charm offensive by Pyongyang as it attempts to restore it strained relationship with Beijing.

After Kim Jong-un came into power in late 2011, the ties between the two formerly allied nations have suffered. In April 2012, Kim Jong-un ignored heavy insinuations from Beijing to cancel the test-launch of a ballistic missile. The fledgling dictator infuriated Beijing even more when North Korea went ahead with its third underground nuclear test in February 2013.

The Moranbong Band is set to arrive in China on Thursday for a six-day tour, according to the Korea Central News Agency.

The tour is expected to contribute to the deepening friendship and the booming cultural and artistic exchanges between the two nations. The venue for the band's performance has not been yet announced. Reports indicate that the band will perform alongside North Korea's State Merited Chorus.

"Pyongyang is clearly trying to mend its ties with China, although it's not clear what the impact of this kind of 'soft power' will have," said Professor Jeff Kingston, director of Asian Studies at the Japan campus of Temple University.

"There are encouraging signs that the relationship is coming out of the deep freeze and Beijing will be very keen to get North Korea back to the negotiating table on things like the nuclear question", he added.

The Moranbong Band serve as ambassadors of North Korea despite the heavy Western influence in terms of their production.

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