Olympia 2018: IPC offers North Korea Paralympics participation

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has cleared the way for North Korea’s first participation in the Winter Games. The IPC invited the National Paralympic Committee of the country to attend the Paralympics in Pyeongchang (9. till 18. March) and offered two starting places.

These will go to the two Nordic athletes Kim Jonghyon and Ma Yuchon, both of whom made their world cup debut in Oberried, Baden-Württemberg in January.

If North Korea accepts the invitation, its athletes would be flying a flag at the opening ceremony together with the South Koreans.

“We want as many nations as possible to participate in the Paralympic Winter Games and I believe that the participation of North Korea would be a very strong message that sport can contribute to peace in the world,” said Andrew Parsons, President of the IPC:”For both nations, the joint enema at the opening and closing ceremony would be a historic moment.

The hostile states of North and South Korea had gradually converged recently. For months now, the IPC has been working with the Games Organising Committee, the National Committees and members of the Government to participate in North Korea. So far, the People’s Republic has only participated in the 2012 and 2016 Paralympic Summer Games.