Universal Music Group is preparing to sell overseas assets, including various music catalogs and real-estate holdings, to help fund its $1.9 billion planned purchase of rival EMI's recorded music business, The Post has learned. The world's largest music company, which agreed last year to buy the EMI division, said at the time that it would shed some $685 million in assets to help fund the deal. In November, Citigroup agreed to split in two EMI, the fourth-largest music company, and sell the recorded music business to Universal. Sony Music, the second-largest music company, is buying EMI's publishing arm for $2.2 billion. Universal Music, part of French conglomerate Vivendi, is awaiting approval from antitrust officials in the US and Europe to complete the purchase. The European Union's Competition Commission is expected to announce that the review has entered the "second stage," which entails a 90-day period of more in-depth questioning.