This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/17/north-korea-to-send-cheerleaders-to-winter-olympics-peace-games

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
North Korea to send cheerleaders to Winter Olympics 'peace games' North and South Korea to march under one flag at Winter Olympics 'peace games'
(about 1 hour later)
Delegation may walk across demilitarised zone in what would be a highly symbolic move Neighbours agree to field a joint women’s ice hockey team after third day of talks on February’s Winter Olympics
Justin McCurry in TokyoJustin McCurry in Tokyo
Wed 17 Jan 2018 13.36 GMT Wed 17 Jan 2018 14.40 GMT
First published on Wed 17 Jan 2018 07.31 GMTFirst published on Wed 17 Jan 2018 07.31 GMT
Share on FacebookShare on Facebook
Share on TwitterShare on Twitter
Share via EmailShare via Email
View more sharing optionsView more sharing options
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn
Share on PinterestShare on Pinterest
Share on Google+Share on Google+
Share on WhatsAppShare on WhatsApp
Share on MessengerShare on Messenger
CloseClose
North Korea will send a large contingent of cheerleaders to next month’s Winter Olympics, South Korea has announced, as the two sides prepare to present their plan for a “peace games” to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the weekend. North and South Korea have confirmed they are to field a joint women’s ice hockey team and will march under a pro-unification flag at next month’s Winter Olympics, in the clearest sign yet of a thaw in tensions between the two countries.
South Korea’s unification ministry said on Wednesday that the North had offered to send 230 members of its all-female cheerleading squad to the Games in Pyeongchang. The two sides are to present their plan for a “peace games” to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the weekend, following three days of talks in the border village of Panmunjom.
In their third meeting in 10 days at the border village in Panmunjom, officials from both countries also agreed to form a joint women’s ice hockey team and have athletes from both countries march together during the opening ceremony on 9 February under a “unification flag” depicting their peninsula. The South Korean unification ministry said the two countries had also exchanged opinions on the size of the North Korean team, joint cultural events and the possible use of the Masikryong ski resort in North Korea.
The unification ministry said the two countries had also exchanged opinions on the size of the North Korean team, joint cultural events and the possible use of the Masikryong ski resort in North Korea. North Korea also offered to send 230 members of its all-female cheerleading squad to the Games in Pyeongchang, which open on 9 February.
Pyongyang and Seoul must work out how the North Korean delegation – which could comprise up to 500 athletes, cheerleaders, musicians, officials and journalists – will cross the border into South Korea, and who will pay for their accommodation and other costs.
Reports said the delegation would probably walk across the demilitarised zone, the heavily armed border separating the two Koreas, in what would be a highly symbolic move.Reports said the delegation would probably walk across the demilitarised zone, the heavily armed border separating the two Koreas, in what would be a highly symbolic move.
Arrangements for North Korea athletes to compete in Pyeongchang have been made at breakneck speed since the start of the year, when North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, offered to send a delegation to the Games.Arrangements for North Korea athletes to compete in Pyeongchang have been made at breakneck speed since the start of the year, when North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, offered to send a delegation to the Games.
“Inter-Korean relations have been strained for almost 10 years … in this regard, we hope that an era of better ties can begin,” Jon Jong-su, the North’s chief delegate, was quoted as saying by Yonhap news agency. “Inter-Korean relations have been strained for almost 10 years,” the North’s chief delegate, Jon Jong-Su, said as the Panmunjom meeting started. “We hope that ties can open,” he added.
Officials from both countries will present their plan to the IOC in Lausanne on Saturday. Three officials from each side took part in the talks and the results will be discussed by both Koreas with the IOC in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Saturday.
“This will then enable the IOC to carefully evaluate the consequences and the potential impact on the Olympic Games and the Olympic competitions,” an IOC spokesperson said. “There are many considerations with regard to the impact of these proposals on the other participating NOCs and athletes.”
Pyongyang and Seoul must work out how the North Korean delegation – which could comprise up to 500 athletes, cheerleaders, musicians, officials and journalists – will cross the border into South Korea, and who will pay for their accommodation and other costs.
South Korea is under pressure not to agree to any proposals that could violate sanctions against the North, particularly if the delegation includes senior government officials blacklisted by UN security council measures agreed in response to Pyongyang’s ballistic missile and nuclear tests.South Korea is under pressure not to agree to any proposals that could violate sanctions against the North, particularly if the delegation includes senior government officials blacklisted by UN security council measures agreed in response to Pyongyang’s ballistic missile and nuclear tests.
The two Koreas have previously sent joint teams to major international sports events twice, both in 1991. One event was the world table tennis championships in Chiba, Japan, and the other was soccer’s World Youth Championship in Portugal. During an era of detente in the 2000s, their athletes marched together during the opening and closing ceremonies of nine international sporting events, including the Olympics and Asian Games, but they failed to produce a joint team.
The current reconciliation mood began after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said in a New Year’s speech that he was willing to send a delegation to the games. Critics have said Kim’s overture is an attempt to use improved ties with South Korea to weaken US-led international sanctions on North Korea while buying time to perfect his nuclear weapons program.
North KoreaNorth Korea
South KoreaSouth Korea
Winter Olympics 2018Winter Olympics 2018
Winter OlympicsWinter Olympics
Asia PacificAsia Pacific
newsnews
Share on FacebookShare on Facebook
Share on TwitterShare on Twitter
Share via EmailShare via Email
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn
Share on PinterestShare on Pinterest
Share on Google+Share on Google+
Share on WhatsAppShare on WhatsApp
Share on MessengerShare on Messenger
Reuse this contentReuse this content