Olympia 2018: IOC welcomes North Korea’s intention to start at Olympia

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has welcomed North Korea’s announcement to participate in the Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang (9. till 25. February). North Korea had announced on Tuesday that it was sending a high-level delegation to the matches in the hostile South.

“These proposals represent a major step forward in the spirit of the Olympic spirit,”said IOC President Thomas Bach. The North Korean group is said to consist of athletes, representatives of the National Olympic Committee, artists, a fan group, observers, a Taekwondo demonstration team and journalists.

The IOC will now examine proposals from the North Korean National Olympic Committee regarding possible participants and the number of participants. The choice of anthem and flag will also be discussed. South Korea had suggested that the hostile states perform together at the opening and closing ceremonies.

The IOC will continue to conduct the discussions constructively, it was said. The Executive Board of the IOC reserves the right to make the relevant decisions.