North Korea will send 22 athletes to the Winter Games in the neighbouring South next month and both Korean teams will march together in the opening ceremony, the International Olympic Committee has announced.
The IOC said in a statement that the North and South had agreed to march under a single flag at the opening ceremony and would field a united team in the women’s ice hockey, confirming earlier reports.
IOC president Thomas Bach said there would be a combined Korean team competing for the first time with athletes from both countries forming a joint women’s ice hockey team.
The other sports featuring North Korean athletes at the February 9-25 Pyeongchang Games are figure skating, short track speed skating, alpine and cross-country skiing. The athletes will be accompanied by 24 coaches and officials.
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Details were decided at a meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, hosted by the IOC, which included representatives of both countries’ Olympic committees, their IOC members, government officials and the local organising committee for the Games.
“Today marks the milestone on a long journey,” said IOC president Thomas Bach in a prepared declaration.
“Since 2014, the IOC has addressed the special situation of having the Olympic Winter Games on the Korean peninsula.
“Such an agreement would have seemed impossible only a few weeks ago,” he added.
“The Olympic Winter Games are hopefully opening the door to a brighter future on the Korean peninsula.”
