South and North Korea are jointly preparing to hold an exhibition of historical relics from the ancient Goguryo Kingdom.

The Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation, the South Korean organizer of the event, says the exhibition will be held in Seoul from early April until late May.

The exhibition will showcase, among others, replicas of tombs and wall paintings, along with musical instruments, clothes, weapons and other period relics.

The ancient kingdom ruled the northern half of the Korean peninsula and much of what is now northeastern Chinese territory until it fell in the late 7th century.

The kingdom has been at the center of a dispute between South Korea and China after a group of Chinese historians claimed that the kingdom was a Chinese legacy.

South Korea says it is an integral part of Korean history, and that it will not tolerate Beijing's attempt to incorporate the kingdom into China's historical past.

An official of the organizing group said the exhibition was conceived to counter the Chinese claim.