Park Dong-jin, one of the country's leading Pansori vocalists, passed away Tuesday morning at the age of 87.

Pansori is the Korean art of storytelling that melds singing, dialogue and simple dramatic gestures with a unique and inimitable vocal style. It is sung solo and accompanied by a percussionist on an hourglass drum.

Born in 1916 in Gongju, Park mastered vocal techniques for five Pansori epics "Simcheongga," "Chunhyangga," "Sugungga," "Jokbyokga" and "Hungboga."

Park was designated as "Important Cultural Property No. 23" by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in 1973 and served as head of the National Changguk Company of Korea in the late 1970s.