Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters perform in North Korea

Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters performed on stage in North Korea for new leader Kim Jong Un in what may be a first for these characters, according to various reports.

The Mickey Mouse performs in Disneyland.

Having these popular U.S. characters on stage in North Korea is a notable change in direction. Kim may be seeking to carve out a different image than his father and grandfather by easing restrictions on Western culture, Koh Yu-hwan, a North Korean studies professor based in Seoul, South Korea told the Associated Press.

But these were not the real-thing characters. The Disney characters in the North Korean performance were not authorized by Disney, Zenia Mucha, the chief spokesperson for The Walt Disney Co., told the AP. These characters seemed to be barely a cut above the ones you may find walking around Times Square in New York City. Take a look for yourself.

Other characters featured in North Korea included Minnie Mouse, Winnie the Pooh and Dumbo. Footage from "Snow White," ''Dumbo" and "Beauty and the Beast," among other movies, was played for the audience.