Report: No young children performing at North Korea's Mass Games

SEOUL, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- North Korea's Mass Games are known for outstanding acrobatic choreographies of young performers to display the regime's propaganda messages, but no children will participate this year.

The North encountered criticisms from Western audiences for using children as young as 6 or 7 to stage tough gymnastics movements in the past at the event.

In response, North Korea decided not to use young children in next month's games, according to a North Korean source in a Joongang Ilbo report.

"Young children from kindergarten to elementary school appeared at Mass Games held intermittently from 2002 to 2013," said the anonymous source. "However, I've learned that those at least middle school ages to young adults will be performing at the upcoming event."

North Korea announced it will hold the Mass Games for the first time in five years to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of its regime. The games were recognized by Guinness World Records as the largest gymnastic display, with some 100,000 performers in 2007.

Experts said North Korea has started to take into account outside criticisms under leader Kim Jong Un more than it did under his predecessors.

"In the past, North Korea had their own way of doing things without considering outside views. But since Kim Jong Un took power, they tend to get conscious of outside criticisms or international standards," Jeon Hyun-jun, chairman of Korea Peace Forum, was quoted as saying in the Joongang Ilbo report.